Developmental disabilities are chronically handicapping conditions interfering with development in multiple domains such as academic skills, social skills, communication skills, and adaptive behavior, arising before age 22 and requiring specialized services. Developmental disabilities include learning disability, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and early infantile autism. Constitutional civil rights protection for persons with developmental disabilities in the area of civil commitment, education, housing, or job opportunity generally include certain substantive and procedural rights. The incidence of psychiatric disorders is increased in persons with developmental disorders. Developmental disabilities, particularly learning disabilities, are prevalent in the majority of juveniles coming into contact with law enforcement, the courts, juvenile detention and corrections, and the juvenile probation systems. All juvenile justice personnel need to be aware of Federal and State laws and substantive and procedural guarantees for persons with developmental disabilities. Immediate contact with the developmental disability service delivery system and the special education system is not only clinically and professionally appropriate when a juvenile offender has a known or suspected developmental disability but often is also mandated by law. 5 references