Let's Get 7 in IELTS

• Mark Easton

• 17 Jul 08, 12:17 PM GMT

Earlier this week I posted some thoughts on the government's new Youth Crime Action Plan which highlighted a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as a way of spotting those youngsters at greatest risk of becoming criminals.

I reproduce the chart here with our labelling corrected. (The original can be found in the report [pdf] however there is little or nothing in the way of explanation in the accompanying text.)

 

hanks to those who alerted me to the mistake and thanks too for some fascinating analysis of the data on the link between ADHD and crime.

As happyclucker, Prodnose and statistics lecturer all pointed out, the chart suggests that well over 40% of young offenders have been diagnosed with ADHD - of which the vast majority are high-rate offenders.

This strikes me as a remarkable finding given that an estimated 3-7% of school children suffer from the disorder.

As I said in my earlier post, there is a danger that we assume causation here - that ADHD causes crime - when it might be that those youngsters with behavioural problems are subsequently diagnosed with ADHD.

But some medical literature argues that ADHD is a neurobiological condition, a chemical imbalance in the brain which affects impulses and concentration. Sufferers are sometimes prescribed psychostimulants or antidepressants, drugs which help the brain to work "in a more normal way".

All of which poses some important questions, I think.

I would very much like to hear from readers who have first-hand experience. Is ADHD a genetic condition or are there social causes? Do the treatments work? Are we simply finding a medical label for bad behaviour? Or could an understanding of ADHD help us in the fight against crime and delinquency?

Diagnosis 診斷結果,診斷書

Hyperactivity 活動過度,極度活耀

Reproduce 複製

Temperament 氣質, 性格, 性情

Maltreatment 虐待,粗暴對待

Convicted

Socio-economic 社會經濟的, 社會經濟性的

ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (醫)毅力缺乏過動異常症,多動症

young offenders 青少年犯罪者

causation  引起,因果關係

behavioural 行為的

subsequently 隨後,接著

neurobiological 神經生物學

Sufferer 受害者,受難者

Antidepressants 抗抑鬱的(劑)

Genetic 起源的,發生的

Delinquency 懈怠

紅色的不知道是什麼意思 麻煩各位幫幫忙囉