NCJ Number
66944
Journal
TEACHERS JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION Issue: 3 Dated: (1976) Pages: 2-8
Date Published
1976
Length
7 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF THIS AUSTRALIAN STUDY INDICATE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SENTENCED TO CONFINEMENT FOR ANTISOCIAL ACTS SUFFER FROM EDUCATIONAL UNDERACHIEVEMENT.
Abstract
IN THIS AUSTRALIAN STUDY, INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED ON A SAMPLE OF DELINQUENT GIRLS COMMITTED TO A TRAINING (REMAND) SCHOOL IN NEW SOUTH WALES. DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM THE PSYCHOLOGIST'S REPORT ON EACH GIRL, THE PUPIL RECORD CARD, AND READING TEST RESULTS. INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM 49 REPORTS, 28 RECORD CARDS, AND A READING TEST FOR 49 GIRLS. SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE 49 GIRLS SHOWED THAT THEY ALL SUFFERED MARKED READING RETARDATION, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE RANGE OF I.Q.'S REVEALED BY AN I.Q. TEST WERE QUITE WIDE AND NOT SKEWED TOWARDS LOW INTELLIGENCE LEVELS. A TOTAL OF 70 PERCENT SHOWED MARKED READING RETARDATION WARRANTING SPECIAL REMEDIAL ATTENTION, AND 41 GIRLS SHOWED READING RETARDATION OF MORE THAN 2 YEARS. HOWEVER, EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS DID NOT HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN THE CHILD'S DELINQUENCY, OTHER FACTORS, SUCH AS BROKEN HOMES AND STEPPARENTS WERE MORE SIGNIFICANT. MOST OF THE GIRLS IN THE STUDY DISPLAYED A HIGH LEVEL OF NOMADISM, AND HAD MORE DIFFICULTY IN MATHEMATICS THAN IN READING. VERY LITTLE REMEDIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO NEEDED IT BUT THOSE GIRLS WHO WERE GIVEN REMEDIAL ATTENTION DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM IT. MANY MORE GIRLS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN SPECIAL ATTENTION, AND THOSE WHO DID RECEIVE IT SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT EARLIER AND MORE OFTEN. THE RESEARCH THUS INDICATES THE EXISTENCE OF A CONSIDERABLE EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM IN NEW SOUTH WALES. APPLIED RESEARCH IS NEEDED IN TWO AREAS: (1) ALLEVIATION OF THE PROBLEMS FOR THOSE DELINQUENTS ALREADY IN THE PRISON SYSTEM, AND (2) EXAMINATION OF TYPICAL EDUCATIONAL BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS THAT MIGHT LEAD A CHILD TO CONFINEMENT. WAYS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION ARE NEEDED. TABULAR DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (MJW)