Book Review: Linking Disorders to Delinquency: Treating High-risk Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

• DOI: 10.1177/1057567713500788
• Published date: 01 December 2013
• Date: 01 December 2013
• Author: Michael F. Campagna
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Mallett, C. A. (2013).

Linking Disorders to Delinquency: Treating High-risk Youth in the Juvenile Justice System. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner

Publishers. 180 pp. $56.95, ISBN 978-1-935-04958-6.

Reviewed by: Michael F. Campagna, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA

DOI: 10.1177/1057567713500788

Mallett presents six short, but persuasive chapters of evidence for shifting the juvenile justice

system’s focus from punishment to rehabilitation. By identifying and tracing the impact of typically

covert risk factors across the life course, he illustrates a strong link between health disorders and

delinquency. He maintains that health disorders and risk factors are one in the same—evidenced

by their direct and indirect effects on the likelihood of delinquency.

The disorders identified as associated with higher delinquency are mental health disorders (i.e.,

depression, anxiety, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), stress related to maltreatment

victimization, substance abuse, and learning and academic difficulties. These disorders are typically

comorbid, complicating etiological research, and treatment planning. As an effort to untangle effects

of these disorders, Mallett devotes two chapters to low-risk and chronic offenders by presenting

empirical disparities.

To address delinquency of all types, Mallett suggests a collaborative framework, utilizing mental

health agencies, schools, the courts, public welfare agencies, and other community organizations. He

claims these agencies could increase many protective factors (e.g., prosocial attitudes, coping

mechanisms, and emotional stability) and reduce risk factors for further delinquency by addressing

mental health disorders and other risk factors. He recognizes collaborative treatment-centered

solutions were recommended in the past, but claims new evidence provides us with sufficient

justification to act. Collaboration between agencies is an important challenge we must face if we

are to identify and address risk factors. Mallett proposes that by treating the cause of comorbid risk

factors, not simply the result (i.e., delinquency), we would be investing in our future. Essentially, he

deems prevention superior to reaction.

Mallett offers an action plan that is comprehensive and inclusive. It is comprehensive because it

includes treatment for internally and externally derived risk factors. His strategy is inclusive because

it offers the system a variety of available services to treat a diversity of offender needs. Multisite

research-basedinterventions are recommended that includecognitive behavioral,substance abuse, and

behavioraltreatment. Health agenciescould be referred by current courtdiversion programs; programs

designed to break the delinquency cycle and reduce the need for additional prisons. He also suggests

using juvenile-specific riskassessment tools to assign the mosteffective treatment—already routine in

many U.S. jurisdictions.

The current cost for delinquency to U.S. taxpayers is staggering (about US$5 billion annually)

(Mallett, 2013, p. 14). Approximately 350,000 youth are incarcerated and 1 million are formally

involved with the juvenile court annually. Mallett claims that by breaking the well-documented

delinquency cycle and reducing the number of children incarcerated, we are investing in the future

International CriminalJustice Review

2013, Vol. 23(4) 401-413

ª2013 Georgia State University

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