Twenty-six percent of the individuals who had been admitted to the detention center and had attended local public school were special education students, a proportion greater than three times that found in local public secondary schools overall. Severely behaviorally disabled students were found in proportions 13 times as large, learning disabled students in proportions almost 3 times as large, and mildly mentally retarded students in proportions almost 2 times as large. The special education identification process in place at the detention center had been ineffectively maintained so the actual proportion of special education students accessing the detention center may have been higher. Further, the flawed identification system served to delay and even prevent timely educational services by the special education teacher. The special education student identification process now in place at the detention center school needs to be maintained as originally designed and implemented. 20 references