NCJ Number
110342
Journal
Remedial and Special Education Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (May-June 1986) Pages: 7-17
Date Published
1986
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the literature identifying handicapping conditions among juveniles in the criminal justice system and concludes that an unexpectedly high percentage of children and youth in correctional facilities may be handicapped.
Abstract
The article compares the prevalence of handicapping conditions among juvenile delinquents with those found in children and youth in the general population. The handicapping conditions examined in these research summaries are emotional disturbance, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and neurological and perceptual deficits. Additionally, other handicapping conditions are examined, such as physical handicaps, chronic illness, and speech and hearing disorders. Even when accounting for lack of unanimity in what constitutes a handicap, most researchers report that many more delinquent children and youth exhibit handicaps than do youngsters in the general population. Researchers estimate that between 30 percent and 60 percent of all juvenile delinquents exhibit handicapping conditions. By contrast, it is estimated that from 6.5 percent to 13.7 percent of all school-aged children exhibit handicapping conditions. A review of research shows that many delinquents are handicapped and in need of special education services. Several researchers are cited, who call for a comprehensive and systematic identification of handicapped juveniles and the implementation and monitoring of special education programs to serve their needs. 87 references and 5 tables.