DIAGNOSIS OF SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES AMONG A JUVENILE DELINQUENT POPULATION

• NCJ Number: 45689
• Author(s): J W Podboy; W A Mallory; J H Barnes
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 140 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2597-1-75
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; California Office of Criminal Justice Planning
• Corporate Author: Sonoma Cty
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; California Office of Criminal Justice Planning
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF A TEST FOR USE IN IDENTIFYING LEARNING DISABILITIES IN JUVENILES ARE DOCUMENTED.

Abstract

A SAMPLE OF 250 YOUTHS (183 MALES AND 37 FEMALES) AT LOS GUILUCOS JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY, SANTA ROSA, CALIF., COMPLETED THE TEST. BOTH JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND STATUS OFFENDERS WERE INCLUDED IN THE SAMPLE. A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT IQ, SEVERAL READING FACTORS, AND OTHER LANGUAGE MEASURES WAS DEVELOPED. ACCORDING TO THIS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, 48.9 PERCENT OF THE YOUTHS TESTED WERE LEARNING DISABLED, 13.3 PERCENT WERE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED, AND 37.8 PERCENT WERE NOT LEARNING DISABLED. (LEARNING DISABILITY IS DEFINED AS A COMPLEX OF DISTURBANCES OF BEHAVIOR, MOST TYPICALLY MANIFESTED IN CLASSROOM OR STRUCTURED LEARNING SITUATIONS.) ALTHOUGH THE FINDINGS DO NOT FIRMLY ESTABLISH A LINK BETWEEN LEARNING DISABILITY AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, THEY DO OFFER EVIDENCE THAT THE INCIDENCE OF LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE DELINQUENT POPULATION IS CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THAT IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. SUPPORTING DATA, COPIES OF TEST INSTRUMENTS, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)