NCJ Number
121650
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1990) Pages: 52,92,106
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
In response to a Federal court ruling that the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) had failed to meet its constitutional obligation to provide mentally retarded inmates minimally adequate prison conditions, the TDC has developed an exemplary program for such offenders.
Abstract
All inmates are tested for mental retardation, and all who score less than 73 on an individualized standard IQ test are referred to one of two programs: an 800-bed unit for men or a unit for 70 females. A 30-day evaluation and indoctrination process is conducted by a multidisciplinary team of professionals, which determines whether or not the inmate should be admitted to the program and, if so, what living/treatment unit will best meet each inmate's needs. The inmates are housed according to the following classifications: "dual diagnosis" -- retarded inmates who act aggressively due to a psychiatric condition; "protection" -- those vulnerable to abuse; "aggressive/disruptive" -- those with disruptive behavior patterns; "regular" -- those who are nonagressive and nondisruptive; and "model" -- those displaying exemplary behavior. For each inmate, an individual habilitation plan and an individual education plan are developed. Each inmate has an ongoing treatment team coordinated by a case manager. All inmates have the opportunity to learn academic, vocational, and social skills that will facilitate their independent functioning in the community upon release.