New Study Measures Links Between Mental Health, Youth Delinquency And Criminal Behaviour

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Anxiety / Stress
Article Date: 30 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Mental health factors, such as one's level of self-esteem or ability to handle stress, are linked to whether or not a young Canadian will display delinquent behaviour or become involved in criminal activity. According to a new study from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), youth aged 12 to 13 who reported hyperactivity and depression were more likely to report high levels of aggressive behaviour, as well as high levels of delinquent acts involving property. In contrast, new analyses show that youth aged 12 to 15 with high levels of self-esteem, good stress management and self-motivation are more likely to report never engaging in aggressive behaviour.

The study, Improving the Health of Canadians: Mental Health, Delinquency and Criminal Activity, presents new analyses of the latest research, surveys and policy initiatives across Canada related to mental health and criminal behaviour among youth and adults.

"Understanding the links between mental health, mental illness, delinquency and criminal activity requires consideration of both risk and protective factors," says Jean Harvey, Director of the Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI), a CIHI program. "With this understanding, there is greater opportunity for interventions and policies that may be effective at promoting mental health, preventing crime and reducing the risk of repeat offending among those with a mental illness."

Parenting style and factors at the school and community levels also linked to delinquent and aggressive behaviour

Positive parenting styles can protect youth from becoming involved with substance use, delinquency and violent behaviour. A previous CIHI study found that youth aged 12 to 15 with higher levels of parental nurturance tended to have fewer contacts with peers who engaged in criminal behaviour. Similarly, new CIHI analyses show that 21% of youth who said their parents frequently yelled or threatened to hit them reported often being aggressive compared to 10% of young people in general. Consistent with this, other research shows that harsh parenting and a lack of parental nurturing are associated with increased criminal behaviour involving property, and a lack of parental supervision has been associated with general delinquency.

At the school and community levels, feeling connected to one's school and feeling a positive bond with society are linked to reduced delinquency. In contrast, feeling excluded and isolated can lead to involvement in criminal or delinquent behaviour. For example:

- 65% of youth who reported being highly involved with their school reported no aggression, compared to 47% of those not as involved; similarly, 66% of youth who said they liked school reported no aggression, compared to 47% of youth who said they did not like school that much.

- At the community level, risk factors for delinquent or violent behaviour include living in neighbourhoods with a high turnover of residents and high rates of violent crime, and feelings of hopelessness.

More than one in four patients hospitalized for mental illness have a history of criminal behaviour

Almost 10% of the more than 30,000 patients admitted to hospital for a mental illness in Ontario in 2006-2007 had either been charged with, or were involved in, a crime. More than one in four (28%) of these patients were reported to have some history of participation in a criminal act that resulted in police intervention.

"Mental illness affects many Canadians across a broad spectrum of the population, and most of them are not involved with the criminal justice system," says Dr. Elizabeth Votta, CPHI Program Lead. "However, the numbers show that youth and adults with diagnosed mental illnesses are over-represented in Canada's correctional facilities."

Patients with a history of criminal behaviour had significantly more risk factors before their admission to hospital than patients with no criminal history. Most (70%) had been admitted to hospital for mental illness at least once before, just more than 40% had failed or dropped out of an education program and 44% were reported to have a dysfunctional relationship with their immediate family. At discharge, more than 1 in 10 did not expect to have supervision in place for personal safety, 4% expected to be homeless and 3% expected to return to a correctional facility.

Canadian Population Health Initiative

The Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) is part of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). CPHI conducts and supports research to foster a better understanding of factors that affect the health of individuals and communities; and to contribute to the development of policies that reduce inequities and improve the health and well-being of Canadians.

About CIHI

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) collects and analyzes information on health and health care in Canada and makes it publicly available. Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments created CIHI as a not-for-profit, independent organization dedicated to forging a common approach to Canadian health information. CIHI's goal: to provide timely, accurate and comparable information. CIHI's data and reports inform health policies, support the effective delivery of health services and raise awareness among Canadians of the factors that contribute to good health.

Canadian Institute for Health Information