Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, type of offending and recidivism in a prison population: The role of substance dependence.

Background: It is unclear whether adult offenders with a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to re-offend, and if so, in any specific offences.

Aim: This study aimed to examine correlates of childhood ADHD symptoms among prisoners.

Methods: A randomly selected sample of 1179 participants from the adult sentenced population of Puerto Rico (USA) reported their history of violent and non-violent offences, age of first arrest and re-offending.