Socioeconomic circumstances of young offenders — 2009 young people in custody health survey fact sheet: key findings for all young people
Number of young people surveyed: 361.
Sample: 88% male with an average age of 17 years.
[5-0050] Social determinants
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27% of young people had been placed in care before the age of 16 years.
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45% have had a parent in prison.
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38% were attending school prior to custody.
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26% were working in the six months prior to custody.
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27% had been bullied and 52% had bullied others.
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6% of young people reported being unsettled or having no fixed place of abode (six months prior to custody), with young women representing 18%.
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More than one-quarter (27%) had moved two or more times in the six months prior to custody, and this was more for Aboriginal young people at nearly a third (32 %).
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Young women were more likely than young men to have moved four or more times in the six months prior to custody.
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Aboriginal young people more likely to have moved four or more times in the six months prior to custody.
Mental health
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60% had a history of child abuse or trauma.
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14% had a possible intellectual disability (IQ 69 and under).
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32% scored in the borderline intellectual disability range (IQ 70 to 79).
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87% were found to have any psychological disorder, with conduct disorder (59%), substance use (49%), alcohol abuse (44%) or ADHD (30%) the most common.
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16% had thought about suicide and 10% had ever attempted suicide.
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21% had thought about self-harm and 16% had ever self-harmed.
Offending behaviour
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79% had reported previous time in custody.
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The average age of first time in custody was 14.3 years.
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On average, young people had previously spent five times in custody.
Physical health
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42% were overweight or obese.
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18% had a mild to moderate hearing loss.
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23% have ever had asthma.
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32% have had a head injury resulting in unconsciousness.
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Poor nutrition is a common risk factor and diet improved while in custody — eating fresh fruit three or more times a week increased from 43% in the community to 90% since in custody; and eating vegetables three or more times a week increased from 57% in community to 77% since in custody.
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37% of young people reported currently taking prescribed medications. The most common medication was for mental illness.
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There was a low prevalence of blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections, with no young people found with HIV, gonorrhoea or syphilis. Four young people were found to have antibodies to Hepatitis C,six6 had Hepatitis B and six had chlamydia.
Smoking, alcohol and drugs
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94% had ever smoked cigarettes with a mean age of starting smoking at 12 years.
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46% indicated they currently smoked cigarettes or would smoke on release from custody.
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93% had ever been drunk with an average age first drunk of 13 years.
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66% reported being drunk at least weekly the year prior to custody.
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61% of young people identified that their alcohol consumption had caused them problems in the past year (with school, friends, health, police, parents).
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78% were found to be risky drinkers.
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89% had tried illicit drugs, with cannabis (87%) the most common used, followed by ecstasy (41%), and meth/amphetamines (29%).
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65% had used an illicit drug at least weekly in the year prior to custody.
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65% reported committing crime to obtain alcohol or drugs.
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20% were intoxicated (on alcohol, drugs or both) at the time of their offence.
The report is available on the Juvenile Justice website. Visit: <www.djj.nsw.gov.au/publications.htm#healthsurveys>