Young offenders exhibit disastrous health profiles (Australia)

No surprises here....

Researchers found that 34% of young people serving community based orders and 66% in youth detention were dependent on alcohol, cannabis, heroin, amphetamines or sedatives – the most common being cannabis. Those serving time in youth detention were significantly more likely to have ever injected a drug (48% compared with 13%). Rates of hazardous alcohol use were also high in both groups: 73% for young people serving community based orders and 82% for those in custody.

The researchers found that depression was common in both groups and many reported engaging in self-harm. In both groups, 29% reported having a family member with a history of mental illness. The majority reported having sex before 15 years of age, and around one in ten reported having had more than five sexual partners in the past six months.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-young-disastrous-health-profiles.html