DMHC-PLUS

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Here’s a clear, up‑to‑date summary of what the research is showing:

• British Physiological Society
• The Guardian
• The Independent

📊 What the study found

• A new study involving voluntary screening of people arrested at six Metropolitan Police custody centres in London suggests that about 50 % of those without a prior diagnosis screened above the threshold for possible ADHD — meaning they may have undiagnosed ADHD traits. (psychiatry.cam.ac.uk)

• In contrast, only about 8 % had a diagnosed ADHD before the study, which is somewhat higher but still close to general population estimates. (psychiatry.cam.ac.uk)

• The screening also suggested that about 5 % might have undiagnosed autism traits. (News-Medical)

• Tools used (like the Adult ADHD Self‑Report Scale) are screening instruments, not formal clinical diagnoses — they flag people for further assessment. (psychiatry.cam.ac.uk)

🧠 What this doesn’t mean exactly

• This doesn’t prove half of all people arrested actually have ADHD as a clinical disorder — only that they scored high enough on screening measures that suggest further evaluation might be appropriate. (PubMed)

• The study was over a limited period and sample (303 eligible arrestees, of whom ~216 were screened). Larger studies would be needed to generalise more broadly. (psychiatry.cam.ac.uk)

📌 Why this matters

Researchers and police suggest that screening people in custody could:

• help identify neurodivergent individuals early,

• ensure fairer treatment in the justice system, and

• support diversion to appropriate care rather than unnecessary criminalisation. (Mirage News)

So the claim that “half of those arrested in London may have undiagnosed ADHD” comes from this recent screening study — but “may have” is an important qualifier: it’s about screening potential traits, not confirmed clinical diagnoses yet. (psychiatry.cam.ac.uk)