Intellectual disability in young people in custody in <scp>N</scp>ew <scp>S</scp>outh <scp>W</scp>ales, <scp>A</scp>ustralia – prevalence and markers

Abstract

The inequalities in criminal justice between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth may exacerbate or contribute to the intellectual impairment of those incarcerated from a young age. Aboriginal young people with psychosis are also at high risk of cognitive impairments that might indicate a possible co-morbid ID, and these patients should be diverted at court into community assessment services, rather than incarcerated. These results highlight a need for better and earlier identification of young people (particularly Aboriginal youth) at risk of ID and other co-morbidities in the juvenile justice system.