Juveniles in Conflict with the Law: Risk Factors and Preventive Approaches
Juveniles in Conflict with the Law: Risk Factors and Preventive Approaches

Summary/Abstract: Between 50% and 75% of juveniles in conflict with the law have at least one psychiatric disorder. Commonly observed disorders include conduct disorder, substance use disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. These conditions—often characterized by impulsivity and difficulties in emotional regulation—reinforce tendencies toward criminal behavior Antisocial personality traits typically emerge in childhood through impulsivity and oppositional behaviors. ADHD and emotional dysregulation may initially manifest as oppositional defiant disorder and later develop into conduct disorder, with approximately 40–60% of conduct disorder cases progressing to antisocial personality disorders. In early adulthood, prosocial roles such as marriage, employment, military service, and parenthood, alongside cognitive maturation and social support, facilitate desistance from crime. Preventive strategies include early interventions such as the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) and the Incredible Years, high-quality early childhood education, executive function training, and home-visitation services. School-based initiatives to prevent peer bullying, implement mentorship programs, community-based support networks, and rehabilitation-oriented reforms in the juvenile justice system are also critical. These approaches aim to prevent the long-term adverse trajectories of juveniles in conflict with the law through multidimensional interventions tailored to individual needs at the family, school, peer, and community levels. This review aims to present research findings on the prevalence of mental disorders among juveniles in conflict with the law, the development of antisocial personality traits, related theories, and lifelong trajectories, with the goal of proposing methods that can be implemented to prevent involvement in crime.

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