Netherlands: Many criminal Moroccans mentally handicapped

Many criminal Moroccans are mildly mentally handicapped, says psychologist Indra Boedjarath of the inter-cultural health care center Mikado.

Many Moroccan youth in Amsterdam-West have mental problems, such as the schizophrenic Bilal B. who stabbed two policemen and then was shot dead. Why is that?

"By criminal youth such these Moroccan, there are, we suspect, many mild mental handicaps. They have behavior problems and work off their frustrations with violence. These youth usually walk in the streets, because they are not identified or accepted as such."

How come schizophrenia occurs so often by Moroccans?

"The number of schizophrenics by Moroccans is 4.5 times greater than by ethnic Dutch. These psychiatric illness reveals itself mostly at the end of puberty, such as by the youth in Slotervaart. Schizophrenia is genetically determined. But much is also dependent on social circumstances."

Which social circumstances affect schizophrenia?

"These youth often come from lower social classes, are discriminated and brought up strictly, or feel completely no involvement from their parents. Through that they turn away from society, become unrestrained. They seek refuge than by bad friends or drugs."

By Moroccans family members marry each other. Does schizophrenia occur also by inbreeding?

"If there's schizophrenia in a family, than the chance for the disease is greater if a nephew with that gene marries a niece with that same gene. But just by carrying the gene, the youth does not become schizophrenic."

Why don't parents notice such psychiatric problems quickly?

"The parent's don't recognize it. Immigrants have a big taboo on psychiatric problems. If it would be pointed out to them, they would simply declare the youth 'crazy'. Additionally, parents often don't know what keeps their children their busy. They grow up in a household or orders in which the father's will is law, while they learn in school that everything is negotiable. That gives a discrepancy."

And how does it go with observing it outside the family?

"Often youth are falsely diagnosed. Criminal youth land in psychiatry and psychiatric patients in jail. Moroccan youth appear rather criminal than sick, because they present themselves so. If somebody suddenly gets bad grades, the student, parents, teachers and school doctor must be immediately spoken to. Than you prevent the youth from going off the tracks earlier."

What must the professional assistance do?

"The family must be immediately involved with such a youth with signs of schizophrenia. The parents then learn to recognize the problems with their child. Additionally medicine use must be supervised. Sometimes medicines are taken with the food, because the youth don't want to swallow those pills".

What should social workers keep in mind specifically for Moroccan youth?

"Social workers must remember that immigrations also plays an important role. The youth that mostly were born here, still carry the heavy burden of grandparents. That generation often falls back on happier times in Morocco. The (grand) children grown up with that unhappiness. At home the emphasis is laid on Moroccan tradition. Outside the youth must be Dutch. They develop a split identity."

In Slotervaart it's boys. And what about girls?

"Boys express their problems. Girls turn inwards. Boys cause pain more often to others, girls more likely to themselves.

Source: Trouw (Dutch)