Criminal children and teenagers: Psychopathological aspects∗

∗ Convention entre le Conseil de la Recherche du Ministere de la Justice et l'Intitut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (I.N.S.E.R.M. ‐ Unite 69).

Abstract

This work comes from a research report (Zeiller, Laine and all, 1991) commissioned in the French Research Council of the Ministry of Justice, Unit 69 of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (I.N.S.E.R.M.). The clinical aspect of the research was directed by Dr Tony Laine who died in 1992.

The objective of the research was to study the psychopathological morbidity of criminal children and teenagers (less than 18 years old at the time of the offence), from a diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative point of view. In particular, by resorting to psychoanalytical concepts, the objective was to understand not only these young offenders’ histories but also their behaviour patterns and their personalities at the time the actual criminal act took place, and how they coped with the judicial procedure during the following months.

∗ Convention entre le Conseil de la Recherche du Ministere de la Justice et l'Intitut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (I.N.S.E.R.M. ‐ Unite 69).

Key Word:

• Criminal children
• teenager
• psychopathology

Notes

∗ Convention entre le Conseil de la Recherche du Ministere de la Justice et l'Intitut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (I.N.S.E.R.M. ‐ Unite 69).