I just finished reading the summary of a study in which male prison inmates with ADHD were treated with Concerta.  This is a useful study because ADHD has been shown to be very common in convicts.  While the prevalence of ADHD among

 

This sudy was well designed with 5 weeks of double-blind-placebo-controlled research, followed by active treatment and open evaluation for an additional 47 weeks.  Inmates were assessed for symptoms of ADHD and their global functioning on a regular basis throughout the year.

 

There were no significant adverse effects during the course of the study, nor was placebo found to be effective.  Treated inmates showed a marked reduction in their ADHD symptoms and reported significantly improved functioning in their daily activities during the first five weeks.  These positive results continued to improve over the non-blinded extension of the treatment.

 

The conclusion of the authors of this study was that Concerta was an effective treatment for prison inmates with ADHD.  It would be even more significant if treated inmates were found to have less negative behaviors than their untreated peers, were eligible for parole earlier and were less likely to return to jail after release.  Findings such as these would justify ADHD treatment at taxpayer expense.