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SERVICES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED DELINQUENTS AND OFFENDERS

NCJ Number
46838
Date Published
1977
Length
89 pages
Annotation
PROBLEMS AND NEEDS THAT DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED DELINQUENTS AND OFFENDERS ENCOUNTER IN THE OHIO SOCIAL SERVICE AND CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS ARE REVIEWED IN A SURVEY OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES.
Abstract
A QUESTIONNAIRE (NOT INCLUDED) SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 400 AGENCIES IN OHIO FOUND THAT FEW ARE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE MENTALLY RETARDED DELINQUENT OR THE ADULT OR JUVENILE OFFENDER WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, EPILEPSY, OR OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS. AN INDEPTH STUDY WAS CONDUCTED OF THE FILES OF FOUR INSTITUTIONS -- THE TRAINING INSTITUTE OF CENTRAL OHIO, THE TRAINING CENTER FOR YOUTH, THE BUCKEYE YOUTH CENTER, AND SCIOTO VILLAGE -- TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR SUCH SERVICES; A SECOND SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED AT THE CUYAHOGA BOYS SCHOOL IN OCTOBER 1977. THE DATA INDICATE THAT 6 PERCENT OF CLIENTS WITHIN THE OHIO YOUTH COMMISSION INSTITUTIONS HAD AN INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT BELOW 70 (AVERAGE 64); A 3 PERCENT FIGURE IS FOUND IN THE U.S. POPULATION AT-LARGE. THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THIS, INCLUDING LACK OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS, AND ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES FOR SUCH YOUTH. MANY OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FROM POOR HOMES AND CANNOT AFFORD AN ATTORNEY. ALSO, MENTALLY RETARDED CLIENTS OFTEN CONFESS TO CRIMES OUT OF A DESIRE TO PLEASE. CASE STUDIES REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AND EPILEPSY WERE ROUGHLY CORRESPONDENT TO THE PREVALENCE OF THESE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. POPULATION AS A WHOLE. HOWEVER, MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THESE WERE CHARACTERIZED AS PROBLEM INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE OF THEIR VIOLENT OR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. WARDENS AND OTHERS RESPONDING TO THE QUESTIONNAIRES COMMENTED THAT LACK OF APPROPRIATE TREATMENT FACILITIES WAS PROBABLY A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT EXISTING FACILITIES FOR BOTH ADULT AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS ARE INADEQUATE, THAT MANY OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED YOUTHS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE IN A COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL FACILITY, AND THAT THE INSTITUTION POPULATION SUFFERING DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS IS LARGE ENOUGH TO MERIT MORE ATTENTION. TABLES SUMMARIZE SURVEY DATA. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF SIMILAR SURVEYS IN OTHER STATES, A LIST OF COMMENTS RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE OHIO SURVEY, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MATERIALS RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED OFFENDER.