An examination of the quality of psychiatric court reports for juvenile perpetrators of homicide

This study aimed to examine the proportion of psychiatric reports prepared by experts in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry; to discuss the quality of information available in reports submitted to the court in juvenile homicide trials and to make recommendations for report content in these cases. An eight-year (1996-2004) cross-sectional survey of 363 juvenile homicide perpetrators in England and Wales was examined. In 45% (n=165) of the cases, at least one report was submitted to court. Of these, 61% (101 cases) were prepared by adult psychiatrists and 27% (44 cases) by child and adolescent psychiatrists. Information provided in reports varied depending on the author, with child and adolescent psychiatrists providing more detailed information on developmental items. Our results suggest that more efforts should be made to ensure the most appropriate expert is commissioned to provide a thorough assessment of the juvenile and their mental state at the time of the offence. © 2011 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.