INFORMATION PROCESSING DEFECTS IN DELINQUENTS (FROM ECOLOGIC-BIOCHEMICAL APPROACHES TO TREATMENT OF DELINQUENTS AND CRIMINALS, 1978, BY LEONARD J HIPPCHEN SEE NCJ-50444)

• NCJ Number: 50449
• Author(s): S H SLAVIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 28 pages
• Corporate Author: Van Nostrand Reinhold
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SELECTED LITERATURE REVIEW IS PRESENTED FROM VARIOUS FIELDS. STUDIES WHICH EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SKILL DEFECTS ARE REVIEWED, AND THREE SUCCESSFUL REMEDIAL PROGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

CURRENT TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS COMBINING INCARCERATION AND COUNSELING IS JUDGED USELESS BECAUSE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BELIEVED TO BE INTIMATELY RELATED TO DYSFUNCTIONS IN THEIR PHYSICAL AND MOTOR DEVELOPMENT. A STUDY BY BERMAN AND SIEGAL OF RHODE ISLAND AND A MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE THIRTEENTH DISTRICT JUVENILE COURT, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ARE REVIEWED IN DETAIL. BOTH OF THESE STUDIES USED BATTERIES OF MOTOR-DEVELOPMENT, PERCEPTUAL ABILITY, AND PERSONALITY TESTS TO PINPOINT THE EMOTIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS EXISTING IN LARGE GROUPS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. BOTH STUDIES FOUND THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE YOUNG OFFENDERS HAD SEVERE INFORMATION=PROCESSING DEFECTS, MANIFESTING THEMSELVES AS LEARNING DISABILITIES AND AN INABILITY TO REACT TO SITUATIONS IN A MATURE MANNER. TABLES SUMMARIZE DATA FOR EACH STUDY. TRADITIONAL REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS DO NOT ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO THESE PROBLEMS. A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF SPECIALISTS IS REQUIRED TO TREAT PARTICULAR SKILL DEFICITS. TRADITIONAL COUNSELING IS INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE SAME PERCEPTUAL PROBLEMS WHICH AFFECT THE LEARNING OF READING AND WRITING SKILLS ALSO AFFECT THE ABILITY TO INTERNALIZE AND ACT UPON ABSTRACT INFORMATION. THE TARGETED REMEDIATION PROGRAMS OF THE STATE BOYS' SCHOOL, PLAINFIELD, INDIANA, THE TIDEWATER, VIRGINIA, JUVENILE COURT, AND THE DENVER, COLORADO, JUVENILE COURT ARE DESCRIBED. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED THOROUGH PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL EXAMINATIONS UPON ENTRY AND FOUND THAT A MAJORITY OF YOUNG OFFENDERS HAD UNDETECTED VISUAL PROBLEMS. NEW GLASSES, ALONE, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE PARTICIPANTS. ALL THREE TARGETED PROGRAMS HAD RECIDIVISM RATES OF 4-6 PERCENT. THIS APPROACH IS CONSIDERED FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL INCARCERATION WITH ITS HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (GLR)