As a juvenile delinquent, some kids are aware of what they are doing, while others belong in a different class. These children and teens are classified by certain mental and social disorders. It is important for all officers to understand the psychiatric dysfunction that can appear in children from the time they are counted as juveniles, no matter what the crime is.

Even probation officer requirements include the study of some psychiatric development in humans. Children who have been properly diagnosed can be easier to spot. However, there are some that can be hard to find, exclude, or even notice. Children who are abused show significant signs of the abuse, especially if it has been a long time of their lives. Though the signs may not be physical, signs in abuse victims are hyperactivity, physical and verbal violence towards others, and even self inflicted “accidents.” Younger children can be difficult to work with because they are not able to properly tell someone what is going on.

Other children can show signs of social or mental disorders that have nothing to do with abuse from the home. Schizophrenia, though stemmed in six different categories, is not always easy to spot. Some children are pathological liars, going to the point that they believe the lies that they are telling to be as completely true as snow is white when it falls. Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders can lead to a dysfunction in routine, along with leading to serious offenses due to lack of nutrition in one’s diet.

Some social disorders develop at such an early age that there is no control over them. These would include autism and social learning disabilities. ADD and ADHD are two other social cognitive disorders, making these children act out their aggression due to inability to express feelings in societal appropriate manner. Children with these cognitive disorders tend to look for acceptance, and many times, crime is what finds them and accepts them as they are.

Keeping in check with updated versions of medications, findings on medical disorders, and regular updated training can help all officers who work in this field. Questions for psychiatrists from officers can help to understand these disorders more, and student questions can help to develop a better ruling of how to prosecute juvenile delinquents.

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