Peer-reviewed article
Use of multiple services from childhood to early adulthood among violent juvenile offenders: a document-based descriptive study.
Huikko E, Marttunen M, Ahlgrén-Rimpiläinen A, Aalto-Setälä T, Lämsä R ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This Finnish study examined service use among 42 young violent offenders aged 15-22 years by reviewing forensic psychiatric examination records. Nearly all participants had used at least one service during childhood and adolescence, with school support services being most common. Service use typically began between ages 7-12, and adolescence saw the most extensive involvement across multiple services. Evidence-based interventions like parent training and multidimensional family therapy were used only rarely.
Key points
- 95% of young violent offenders had used at least one service from childhood to early adulthood
- School support services were accessed more frequently than other services, particularly during ages 7-12
- The combination of school support, mental health, and child welfare services peaked at age 15
- Mental health services experienced longer interruptions (over one year) compared to other services
- Evidence-based interventions such as parent training, multidimensional family therapy, and specialized substance abuse/mental health placements were used only seldom
Limitations
This is a descriptive study based on document review of 42 Finnish cases, so findings cannot establish causation or be generalised beyond this population and context. The study describes service use patterns but does not evaluate the effectiveness of these services or compare outcomes between different service combinations.
Abstract
Background Young violent offenders frequently face significant developmental adversities, including learning difficulties, mental disorders, and substance use during childhood and adolescence. Many also grow up in circumstances requiring child welfare interventions. However, limited information is available regarding the services provided to them. Objective To describe the timing, duration and components of school support services, child welfare services, as well as mental health services and substance abuse services used by young violent offenders. Participants and methods Data were derived from the forensic psychiatric examination statements of 42 Finnish violent offenders aged 15-22 years and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative content analyses. Results Almost all young people (95%) had used at least one service. Service use typically began between ages 7 and 12, with school support services accessed more frequently than other services during this period. The highest rate of single-service use occurred at ages 8-9. Adolescence was characterized by the most extensive multiservice involvement, with the combination of school support, mental health, and child welfare services peaking at age 15. Interruptions longer than one year were more frequent in mental health services than in other services. Evidence-based parent training, multidimensional family therapy, and specialized placements for youth with substance use and mental health problems were used only seldom. Conclusions Most youth who committed violent offences had received multiple services during childhood and adolescence. Our results highlight the need to develop the timing, suitability and acceptability of services for this specific group of young people in their youth.