PROJECT CAMIO (CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND THE MENTALLY INCOMPETENT OFFENDER), V 6 - THE DELINQUENT IN A STATE RESIDENTAL FACILITY FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED

• NCJ Number: 12532
• Author(s): W E SHARP; G WELLS
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 87 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01-MR-07006 (HEW)
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Texas Dept of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE THE INCIDENCE OF DELINQUENCY, AND A COMPARISON OF CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL BACKGROUNDS AMONG MENTALLY RETARDED RESIDENTS IN STATE FACILITIES.

Abstract

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY ARE TO DEVELOP A SET OF CRITERIA FOR DEFINING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND DELINQUENCY AMONG RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED, TO DETERMINE THE INCIDENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FIT THIS CRITERIA, AND TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES FOR THEIR RESIDENTIAL SECURITY AND TREATMENT. THE REPORT BEGINS WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE BASIS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND RETARDATION. CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION IS DEVOTED TO THE METHODOLOGY, WITH A RESUME OF THE SAMPLING PROCEDURE UTILIZED AND A DISCUSSION OF THE TYPE OF INFORMATION WHICH WAS GATHERED ON THE SAMPLE. THE RESULTS CONTAIN STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECTS IN THE SAMPLE, DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION ON THE NATURE OF THEIR RETARDATION AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, INFORMATION AS TO THE STATUS OF THEIR CURRENT COMMITMENT, A SUMMARY OF THE INCIDENCE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AND INFORMATION REGARDING THE SUBJECTS' FORMAL CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW ADMISSIONS DO MANIFEST BEHAVIOR WHICH IS DISRUPTIVE TO NORMAL ADMINISTRATION AND WHICH CONSTITUTES SECURITY PROBLEMS WITHIN STATE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. HE ACKNOWLEDGES A NEED FOR SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRAINTS TO CARE FOR AND TREAT THE DEFECTIVE DELINQUENT. A SECOND CONCLUSION DRAWN FROM THE STUDY IS THAT VERY FEW MENTALLY RETARDED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE AMONG INDIVIDUALS ADMITTED TO STATE SCHOOLS FOR THE RETARDED. FINALLY, THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE DELINQUENT RETARDATES FOUND IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS TEND TO BE MORE MODERATELY RETARDED AND HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORIES THAN THOSE IN STATE FACILITIES FOR THE RETARDED. FOR THE OTHER REPORTS IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 12527 THROUGH 12531, 12533 AND 12534. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)