Freedom and Authority: a conceptual focus in work with violent adolescents

Abstract

In all societies there is a cohort of young people whose anti-social behaviour places them at the interface between mental health considerations and the criminal justice system. This paper describes some of the psychological and biological factors that predispose these adolescents to becoming offenders. In Britain, these youngsters are admitted to Secure Units and psychotherapy forms part of an attempt at resocialising inmates. The author presents a case example and makes recommendations regarding how psycho-analytically informed work with offenders could be adapted in order to respond to the particular demands encountered in therapeutic endeavours.