Delinquent teens are TWICE as likely to die violently in adulthood as U.S. combat troops - and girls are more vulnerable than boys

• Delinquent girls are most at risk of dying a violent death - some five times more likely than the general female population
• While delinquent boys are three times more likely to die violently than males their age who didn't go through the juvenile justice system
• Death rates in Hispanic males and females were five and nine times more than the general population respectively
• The disturbing report by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found 68% of deaths were homicides and 91% were shootings
• 'Our findings are shocking... We must address early violent death the same as any other health disparity,' lead author Linda Teplin said

By Helen Pow

Published: 10:59 EST, 30 June 2014 | Updated: 12:55 EST, 30 June 2014

Nearly twice as many delinquent youths die violent deaths when they reach adulthood than U.S. combat troops who are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new study shows.

Shockingly, delinquent girls are most at risk of dying a violent death - some five times more likely than the general female population, while their male counterparts are three times more likely to die violently than men their age who didn't go through the juvenile justice system.

Death rates in Hispanic males and females were five and nine times more than the general population respectively.

The disturbing report by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found 68 per cent of deaths were homicides and 91 per cent were shootings.

Disturbing: Nearly twice as many delinquent youths die violent deaths when they reach adulthood than U.S. combat troops who are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new study shows (stock photo)

'Our findings are shocking,' lead author Linda Teplin, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, said.

'Early violent death is a health disparity. Youth who get detained are disproportionately poor and disproportionately racial and ethnic minorities. We must address early violent death the same as any other health disparity.'

The study, which is published this month in the journal Pediatrics, used newly available data from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a longitudinal study of 1,829 youth (1,172 males and 657 females, ages 10 to 18 years at baseline) who were detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago between 1995 and 1998.

The authors interviewed participants and then followed them up using official death records up to 16 years after the initial interviews.

This is the first large-scale study to look at death rates in delinquent females and also uses new data on Hispanics, the largest minority group in the U.S.

The young people were selected at random before they were convicted of any crime.

Detention: The study, which is published this month in the journal Pediatrics, used newly available data from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a longitudinal study of 1,829 youths who were detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, pictured, in Chicago between 1995 and 1998

Of the participants, 111 died, 75 of which were killed by others. Of those, 68 were killed by firearms.

The study found black delinquent teens were 4.5 times more likely to die from homicide as adults than non-Hispanic whites.

Violent death up to age 34 was predicted by three risk factors in adolescence: alcohol use disorder, selling drugs and gang involvement, according to the research.

'Prevention is key,' Teplin said. 'We need to reduce the likelihood that youth will become delinquent. And, if they are arrested and detained, we need interventions to reduce violence. Otherwise, perpetrators often become victims.' 

She said many delinquent youth commit crimes because of untreated psychiatric problems. For example, they may abuse drugs to self-medicate for depression, and then sell drugs to afford them, Teplin said.

'These youth may have fallen through the cracks of the health care system into the juvenile justice net,' she said.

'We should avoid the stereotype that delinquent youth are just bad kids. Many are not hardened criminals; but once detained, they are on a path fraught with risk.'

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