NCJ Number
12533
Date Published
1973
Length
80 pages
Annotation
COMPARISON OF MENTALLY RETARDED DELINQUENTS TO NONDELINQUENTS AND DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE RETARDED DELINQUENT.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO THE FOUR LARGEST PROBATION DEPARTMENTS IN TEXAS TO GET THE ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF THE JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS DEALING WITH RETARDED DELINQUENTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PROBATION OFFICER VIEWS INTELLIGENCE AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. IN A SURVEY SAMPLE OF FORTY-EIGHT ADJUDICATED DELINQUENTS THIRTY-ONE PERCENT WERE FOUND TO HAVE IQ'S OF BELOW SEVENTY AND WERE PLACED IN THE MENTALLY RETARDED GROUP. IN COMPARING THE MENTALLY RETARDED DELINQUENT AND THE NON-RETARDED DELINQUENT, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FORMER TENDS TO BE A MEMBER OF A MINORITY GROUP, IS LIVING IN A FAMILY HEADED BY THE NATURAL MOTHER ALONE, AND COMES FROM A POORER FAMILY, OFTEN ONE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. MOST OF THE PROBATION OFFICERS SURVEYED DID NOT FAVOR COMMITMENT OF MENTALLY RETARDED DELINQUENTS TO STATE TRAINING SCHOOLS, ALTHOUGH THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS OFTEN NO ALTERNATIVE. THE PROBATION OFFICERS LISTED MANY PROBLEMS THEY FACED AS THEY DEALT WITH THE RETARDED DELINQUENT SUCH AS LACK OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, LACK OF COOPERATION ON THE PART OF THE PARENTS, THE CHILD'S INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTS, INABILITY OF THE PROBATION OFFICER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CHILD, SCHOOL PROBLEMS, PEER GROUP EXPLOITATION, LACK OF PLACEMENT FACILITIES, AND THE CHILD'S INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND PROBATION RULES. SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE, SUCH AS GRANTING THE MENTALLY RETARDED DELINQUENT LEGAL STATUS UNDER THE LAW, EXPANDING SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED, AND EMPLOYING TRAINED CASEWORK PERSONNEL TO WORK WITH FAMILIES OF RETARDED CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE CASE STUDIES AND A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE. FOR THE OTHER VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 12527 THROUGH 12533 AND 12534. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)