This study compared the psycho–social characteristics of newly entered inmates to penal institutions across Japan with and without partial suspension of execution committed simulant drug related offenses. Inmates with partial suspension of execution were significantly more likely than those without to report engaged experiences in medical care and peer support, criminal history by substance use offences, psychiatric comorbidity and early first time simulant drug use. Furthermore, inmates with partial suspension of execution were found to have a higher degree of problems related to drug use measured by The Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20) than those without. Additionally, results from decision tree analyses indicated that some psycho–social characteristics influence judicial sentencing about imprisonment with partial suspension of execution. The groups with psycho–social characteristics that are likely to be inmates with partial suspension of execution had higher severity of drug use problems than those without them. In the light of these findings, justice decision making of imprisonment with partial suspension of execution seems to be determined with sufficient consideration of treatment needs and responsivity for preventing reoffending.

This study compared the psycho–social characteristics of newly entered inmates to penal institutions across Japan with and without partial suspension of execution committed simulant drug related offenses. Inmates with partial suspension of execution were significantly more likely than those without to report engaged experiences in medical care and peer support, criminal history by substance use offences, psychiatric comorbidity and early first time simulant drug use. Furthermore, inmates with partial suspension of execution were found to have a higher degree of problems related to drug use measured by The Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20) than those without. Additionally, results from decision tree analyses indicated that some psycho–social characteristics influence judicial sentencing about imprisonment with partial suspension of execution. The groups with psycho–social characteristics that are likely to be inmates with partial suspension of execution had higher severity of drug use problems than those without them. In the light of these findings, justice decision making of imprisonment with partial suspension of execution seems to be determined with sufficient consideration of treatment needs and responsivity for preventing reoffending.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that autistic traits are related to alexithymia traits cause violent behavior by increasing aggressiveness. Two hundred and fifty-seven juvenile delinquents participated in the study. Their autistic traits were measured using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient; aggressiveness was measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire; alexithymia traits were determined using the Alexithymia Scale for Adolescence; and violent behaviors were quantified on the basis of violent behaviors demonstrated by the participants during the past year and month. As a result of the analysis, we found that poor communication, which is one of the autistic traits and related to alexithymia traits, was associated with violent behavior as it increased aggressiveness. In addition, poor imagination, which is an autistic trait and related to alexithymia traits, was directly associated with violent behavior. Therefore, this study suggested that some of autistic traits are related to violent behavior by increasing aggressiveness, and directly related to violent behavior.

It is well known that child abuse can cause posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and deteriorate their psychometric intelligence. In previous researches, the PTSD and the lower intelligence were not independent. Rather, psychiatric symptoms may influence on their cognitive development. The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychological mechanism that child physical abuse cause traumatic symptoms followed by depressing their intellectual functioning. Data were collected from child guidance centers. Abused group composed of 100 children who had a history of physical abuse; comparison group composed of 102 children who did not have any type of maltreated experiences. Their intelligence quotient (IQ) and traumatic symptoms measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth edition and Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children-Alternative version, respectively. Mediation analyses in structural equation modeling showed that child physical abuse influences traumatic symptoms, which in turn influence their IQ, namely as the full mediation. Significant indirect effects were calculated using the bootstrap method (M＝−0.73) and the Bayesian estimation (M＝−0.74). Findings suggest that trauma assessment is indispensable for educational support of physically abused children.