NCJ Number
76312
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 32 Issue: 1 Dated: (February-March 1981) Pages: 58-68
Date Published
1981
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Early detection of a learning disability (LD) is needed to prevent an LD child from becoming delinquent, according to this paper which explores causes and effects of LD on the individual and society.
Abstract
LD has become an umbrella term covering a wide variety of impairments such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, awkwardness, destructiveness, short attention span, and specific learning problems related to hearing, speaking, reading, calculating and writing. LD children are not mentally retarded, however, and their IQ ranges may compare favorably with those of their peers while their performance level does not. Causes of LD may often be traced to premature birth, infant or early childhood disease or head injury. LD may also be inherited. Those youngsters whose disability goes undetected end up entangled in a cycle of failure and frustration. Because LD children are unable to learn in a traditional classroom setting their frustration is expressed by aggressiveness, truancy and/or other lesser status offenses. Many LD children become delinquent, when their problem is not detected in time. Thus, juvenile delinquents should undergo psychological tests, and detection of LD should serve as a complete defense. This will bar the courts from sending an afflicted child to institutions which are of little rehabilitative benefit. It will also serve to educate judges, arbitrators and judicial referees so they can understand the LD child's inability to conform to the requirements of statutory law. To prevent much of juvenile delinquency, early detection of LD is needed. The 1975 act of Congress which assures Federal funds to meet educational needs of handicapped children should serve as the basis of such intervention. It allows for structuring educational programs around the personal needs of individuals, as opposed to a normative group system. A review of case law and several LD definitions, 77 footnotes, and about 40 references are included.