VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROBLEM OF LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DELINQUENT TENDENCIES ARE PRESENTED BY A HOSPITAL PSYCHOLOGIST, A POLICE YOUTH SERVICES OFFICER, AN LEAA ADMINISTRATOR, A VOCATIONAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, A SOCIAL WORKER, A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE, A PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, AND TWO PHYSICIANS -- A NEUROLOGIST AND A PEDIATRICIAN. CLINICAL FINDINGS ASSOCIATING LEARNING DISABILITIES WITH DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR ARE DISCUSSED AND A STUDY WHICH FOUND THAT 70 PERCENT OF A DELINQUENT GROUP SCORED IN THE 'IMPAIRED LEARNING RANGE' ON A SERIES OF TESTS COMPARED TO ONLY 23 PERCENT OF THE NONDELINQUENT CONTROLS IS CITED. THE FRUSTRATIONS IMPOSED ON CHILDREN BY LEARNING DISABILITIES ARE DESCRIBED; IT IS NOTED THAT PEER RIDICULE OFTEN LEADS CHILDREN TO AFFECT MARGINALLY ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR TO COMPENSATE FOR FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY. STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT REGARDLESS OF REGION OF THE U.S., THE AVERAGE READING LEVEL OF INCARCERATED ADOLESCENTS IS BETWEEN THE THIRD AND FIFTH GRADES. SCHOOL FAILURE IS MORE LIKELY TO RESULT IN DELINQUENT ACTS THAN IS LOW SOCIAL STATUS, AND AMONG STUDENTS WHO ARE ACADEMIC UNDERACHIEVERS, EMOTIONAL DISORDER IS THREE TIMES MORE COMMON. OF THESE EMOTIONAL MALADJUSTMENTS, CONDUCT DISORDER (ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR) IS THE MOST COMMON. IN A STUDY OF INCARCERATED DELINQUENT BOYS IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES, A VARIETY OF FACTORS WERE EXAMINED AS POSSIBLE CORRELATES OF DELINQUENCY; ONLY READING FAILURE CORRELATED STRONGLY WITH AGGRESSION. THE COURTS ARE OFTEN UNABLE TO ESTABLISH MEANINGFUL TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR THE LEARNING DISABLED BECAUSE AFFECTED CHILDREN ARE SOMETIMES NOT DIAGNOSED IN SCHOOL AS HAVING A LEARNING DISABILITY. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO TREATMENT PROBLEMS IS THE FACT THAT THE AVERAGE JUVENILE OFFICER IS NOT TRAINED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THE ACTING OUT BEHAVIOR; THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF THE CHILD AND THE LACK OF CLINICAL AND TREATMENT FACILITIES FURTHER INHIBIT MEANINGFUL TREATMENT. GREATER COOPERATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS, COURTS, AND SPECIALISTS WHO CAN HELP IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF LEARNING DISABILITIES IS URGED. IT IS NOTED THAT IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO COPE WITH THE PROBLEM ONCE IT IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED. PERHAPS THE CHILD WILL NEVER BECOME A SUPERIOR STUDENT, BUT OTHER SKILLS CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND REMEDIAL WORK CAN BE PRESCRIBED TO HELP THE LEARNING DISABLED GAIN A USEFUL PLACE IN SOCIETY AND REGAIN SELF-ESTEEM. (GLR)