Double Jeopardy

Developing specialised mental health care for young people engaging in offending behaviours

This policy briefing shows that rates of criminal offending and onset of mental illness are highest among adolescents and young people. Although the prevalence of mental ill-health is higher among young people in contact with the justice system in Victoria than that of the general youth population, these same young people are less likely to have accessed mental health services.

Double Jeopardy: Developing specialised mental health care for young people engaging in offending behaviours reveals that preventive forensic services and specialised mental health services for young offenders in Victoria are limited or inadequate. The briefing outlines four opportunities to provide staged specialised mental health services to support young people and improve community safety.