Osterman, Linnea (2017) A critical exploration of female ex-offenders' narratives of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in the Swedish criminal justice system. In: European Society of Criminology, 13-16 Sep 2017, Cardiff, Wales. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The last decade has seen an emerging research link between ADHD and criminal behaviour (Savolainen et al, 2010). A suggested 15 45% of the overall Swedish prison population fulfil the criteria for ADHD (Kriminalvården, 2013), while the figure for the female prison population, though under-researched in comparison, stands at around 29%(Kriminalvården, 2010). With experiments in medicalisation already underway, it is argued that we need to look critically at subjective meanings, as well as broader implications, of this escalating trend of ADHD diagnoses in criminal justice settings. Situated in the context of a historical 'culture of intervention' found within the Swedish model, this paper presents a critical exploration of first-hand experiences of ADHD diagnoses in female ex-offenders' narratives. A number of diagnostic functions are proposed in the paper; 1) on an individual level - particularly in terms of the provision of a rationalised explanatory framework of past deviant behaviour, 2) on an institutional level - linked to the medicalised management of offender populations, 3) on a societal level - with attention effectively being deflected from social and environmental factors and lastly; 4) on a broader structural level - including huge pharmaceutical interests in an relentlessly expanding 'treatment' market.

Item Type:	Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	ADHD - female offender - Sweden - criminal justice
Subjects:	K Law > K Law (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences > School of Law & Criminology (LAC)
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2017 16:12
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/18252

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