[Characteristics of juvenile court cases with pervasive developmental disorder].

Forty-eight juvenile delinquency cases, who were sent to a family court between April, 2002 and March, 2005, and diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), were examined regarding the following characteristics: (1) demographic, cognitive and social profiles (sex, age, intellectual development, school register), (2) diagnostic subclasses of PDD, and (3) types (classification), causes, and backgrounds of delinquency. While the PDD group revealed no noticeable differences in the distributions of sex, age, school register status, and intellectual abilities, compared with a general delinquent juvenile population, the PDD group showed a much higher rate of sexual offences and antisocial behaviors based on the confusion due to limited interpersonal abilities. Forty-two (87.5%) were diagnosed with Asperger's disorder, with an IQ within the normal range. In more than half of the cases, offensive conducts occurred in their inappropriate a Hemprs to approach others, caused by the underdevelopment of social abilities. In other cases, the primary handicap and associated symptoms of PDD, as well as the obsessive pursuit of a scientific/experimental interest, played some role in the development of delinquency. In dealing with delinquent cases of juveniles with PDD, it seems very important to keep in mind the characteristics of PDD, and cooperate with professionals and organizations of other fields related to juvenile mental health, such as child psychiatrists, social welfare facilities, and institutions of the Ministry of Justice (juvenile detention home, juvenile training school, and probationary office).