Mortality in a group of formerly incarcerated juvenile delinquents

A 7-year follow-up study of formerly incarcerated delinquents revealed an extremely high mortality rate. Of 118 male and female subjects, seven had died before their 25th birthdays, making the mortality rate of the sample approximately 58 times the national average for individuals in their age group. All died violent deaths, making the violent death rate of the sample approximately 76 times the national average for that age group. Differences in mortality rates according to the race and sex of the subjects are reported, and possible clinical predictors of early death are explored.