Teenage predators feel no remorse

Seven out of 10 young people in New Zealand prisons are "predators" who show no remorse for the victims they see as prey, says an author of a new report.

A study by clinical psychologist Dr Nick Wilson and Rehina Rolleston shows that 71 per cent of young offenders had psychopathic tendencies such as callousness and a lack of remorse or empathy. 

  They did not accept responsibility for what they had done and had shallow emotions.

The study of young people behind bars was done for the Corrections Department.

Dr Wilson said that such prisoners fitted the category of having psychopathic behaviour.

"They do not have the ability to empathise, or do not know their behaviour is wrong.

"They are predators and they see people as prey."

The research into risk factors for young offenders is the first of its kind to reveal New Zealand peculiarities, and will enable the Corrections Department to address factors that contribute to reoffending.

The survey looked at 69 young people with an average age of 17 serving time in Hawkes Bay, Christchurch and Waikeria.

Seventy per cent had convictions for serious violence or sexual offending, and the average number of convictions for each youth was 17.

Dr Wilson said he found a surprising sub-group of violent offenders.

Within the group of high-risk prisoners was a group even more high risk, which made up a third of the prisoners in the study.

 

Since the study was done, the Corrections Department has changed its programme for young offenders, making it more intensive.

Dr Wilson said the department also planned to develop an anti-violence programme.

The study also found eight in 10 of the young people had major behavioural problems.

Just under a third were at high risk of re-offending.

The study was done a year ago so the Corrections Department could develop a profile of the young prisoners at a time when "violent crime by delinquent youth increased markedly from the 1980s".

As part of the study, Dr Wilson said, the youths were asked about the happiest time of their life.

He told the Herald that one youth described the happiest time of his life as sleeping with three girls at once.

That was despite the fact that he had two children.

"Their emotions are so shallow that when you dive in, you hit your head," he said.

"I am not saying they don't have emotions, but are related to their own feelings. They lack sophistication and will put on emotions because they know people expect it and it becomes almost scripted."

The study also found that:

* The average age at the first conviction was 15.

* Most youths were in jail for aggravated robbery.

* Just over seven in 10 young prisoners had substance abuse problems.

Dr Wilson said that when the study was done, all the prisoners were receiving the same level of treatment.

But those who were more at a high risk of re-offending needed more intense treatment.

Clinical psychologist Nigel Latta, who has worked with some of New Zealand's worst young offenders, said he was not surprised by the study's findings.

Mr Latta said a lot of young offenders presented badly, especially in a prison environment, but that did not mean they were without remorse.

"It's also the culture of where they are - adolescents generally don't show a lot of empathy."

Mr Latta said it was important that young offenders were given help, because they would come out of prison one day. Arrests of under-17-year-olds increased more than 40 per cent between 1991 and 2000.

- additional reporting Elizabeth Binning