PREVALENCE AND TYPES OF HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS FOUND IN JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - A NATIONAL SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 58934
• Author(s): D I MORGAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 140 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SPECIAL PRICES FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

A COMPREHENSIVE POPULATION PROFILE OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS, FOR USE BY CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL, AS DEVELOPED FROM NATIONAL SURVEY FINDINGS, IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

A NATIONAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE PREVALENCE AND TYPES OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN JUVENILE AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO THE ADMINISTRATORS OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES IN 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND 5 U.S. TERRITORIES. RESPONSES RECEIVED WERE BASED ON REPORTS FROM 204 FACILITIES. JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS AND JAILS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SURVEY BECAUSE MOST SUCH INSTITUTIONS ARE PRIMARILY HOLDING FACILITIES FOR BRIEF CONFINEMENT PERIODS. RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED FROM ALL BUT ONE SOURCE CONTACTED; ALL PROVIDED MOST OF THE DATA REQUESTED. THE FINDINGS REVEALED AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS (42.4 PERCENT). THE MOST PREVALENT TYPES OF HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS WERE EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED, SERIOUSLY EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED, AND SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABLED. AN ANALYSIS OF THE RESPONSES RECEIVED REVEALED WIDE INTERPRETATIONS OF THE VARIOUS HANDICAPPING TYPES, ESPECIALLY OF SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE AND SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES. BECAUSE OF THE VERY LIBERAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MOST PREVALENT HANDICAPPING TYPES, THERE IS STRONG REASON TO CONCLUDE THAT THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE OVER-LABELING BY SOME INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING THE RESPECTIVE HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, MUCH CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN DRAWING SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE PREVALENCE OF HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS FOUND IN JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT FUTURE STUDIES FOCUS ON SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER PL. 94-142 TO INSTITUTIONALIZED HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, AND THE SCREENING AND TESTING DEVICES EMPLOYED IN DETERMINING HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS. STATISTICAL TABULAR DATA, APPENDIXES, AND AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)