A Practitioner’s Perspective Concerning the Links between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

This expert commentary examines the links between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the criminal justice system from a practitioner’s unique perspective. Having served as a senior police officer where my interest in these subjects grew, to now being the managing director of the United Kingdom’s largest specialist ADHD clinic, this examination turns the current debate on its head. Shifting from ‘more needs to be done’ through to ‘this is how we can do more’, the commentary concludes that we know what is wrong; we can identify the people we need to help; and hence, we need to rise up and break the systemic cycle of failure for people with ADHD and keep them in the health system rather than allowing them to fall into the criminal justice system. This analysis is based on academic research, real world-evidence and clinical experience.