Treatment for prisoners could cut reoffending

Criminal behaviour in people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) falls by about a third when they are on medication, research from Sweden shows.

Translated to the prison population, similar treatment could have a dramatic effect, experts believe.

Around four per cent of children in the UK and half as many adults are believed to suffer from the disorder, which is characterised by over-activity, impulsivity, aggression, short temper and disorganised thinking.

Studies suggest that anything from ten per cent to 40 per cent 
of prison inmates have the disorder, but few are diagnosed or treated.