Twelve thousand crimes by 75 boys: A 20-year follow-up study of childhood hyperactivity

Abstract

Retrospective assessments of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for 75 advanced juvenile delinquents (AJD), treated at a Swedish national borstal unit in 1975-6, were analysed in relation to psychosocial background data, concurrent borstal data, and follow-up data until age 30. All subjects had conduct disorder (CD) and 68% were rated as suffering from ADHD during pre-school and/or school years. Between the ages of 6 and 30 the 75 AJDs were sentenced for a total of 12,000 crimes, which, corrected for the dark number ratio, can be estimated to 1,000 crimes per individual. In comparison with non-hyperactives, hyperactives had better psychosocial background; markedly more pronounced school problems; a higher level of criminality, present from the beginning and becoming more pronounced in later years; and a worse social outcome. ADHD appears to be related to crime volume and versatility (a lifetime increase in crimes of 250%) rather than to type of crime (no increase in crimes of violence). It appears to be one index of a specific kind of vulnerability, which markedly affects prognosis among AJDs, probably by playing an active role in the criminogenic mechanisms.

Key Words:

• juvenile delinquency
• attention deficit disorder
• hyperactivity
• criminality