Can Adolescent Court Reports be Used to Facilitate Therapeutic Change?

Abstract

How can reports for criminal courts be made helpful for the young people concerned? The prime aim of psychiatric court reports is to answer the questions posed by, or for, the court. This article argues that the process of preparing and writing an adolescent court report may also be used to promote change. This article describes how adolescent psychiatric reports commissioned for criminal court proceedings can be used to prompt therapeutic change whilst keeping to the agenda of the court. A series of steps are suggested to facilitate therapeutic change through the process of preparation and writing the report.