Zur Versorgungs- und Begutachtungssituation von delinquenten Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland

Delinquent behavior is common in the development of children and adolescents and thus, often the reason for presentation to psychiatric and/or psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment; however, empirical examinations of the child and adolescent psychiatric/psychotherapeutic care situation for delinquent minors in Germany are lacking. The current survey aimed at assessing the current care situation for delinquent children and adolescents in Germany considering both forensic evaluation and treatment.

A total of 217 child and adolescent psychiatric/psychotherapeutic professionals took part in an online survey to answer questions about how frequently and in what contexts (e.g., evaluations, inpatient or outpatient treatment, daycare) they work with delinquent minors and what methods they usually apply.

The results indicate that respondents quite commonly worked with delinquent minors, whereas specific treatment approaches that addressed delinquency appeared to be rare. Regarding forensic evaluations there was a high heterogeneity in both quantity and methodology.

Practical implications concerning extensions and specifications of adequate treatment approaches for delinquent children and adolescents and also regarding the assurance of appropriate qualifications of the responsible specialists are discussed.