The interface between mental health, criminal justice and forensic mental health services for children and adolescents

The psychosocial and biological factors placing young people at risk of offending and of developing mental health problems are well established in the international literature. A recent series of epidemiological, demand and needs surveys reveal a lack of appropriate services to meet the needs of young people at the interface of mental health and criminal justice systems. Recent legislative changes in England and Wales have provided a timely mandate for the development of services. Models of service delivery are explored which can provide safe transition, assessment and treatment for young offenders with high risk mental health problems. Such services must encompass appropriate training in order to recruit and retain staff, and all treatment programmes will require careful monitoring and evaluation. Future research needs to be readily disseminated to ensure that research informs ongoing clinical practice.