NCJ Number
65123
Date Published
1979
Length
58 pages
Annotation
THIS MANUAL IS INTENDED TO EQUIP PROBATION, PAROLE, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS FOR WORK WITH RETARDED OFFENDERS BY CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS DISADVANTAGED GROUP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
MENTALLY RETARDED OFFENDERS FOUND LEGALLY COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL ARE TREATED AS MISFITS BY BOTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, WHO LOOK TO EACH OTHER'S FIELDS FOR FUNDING AND PROGRAM PROVISIONS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT OFFENDERS WITH LOW INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL ADAPTABILITY MEASURES USUALLY SERVE LONGER SENTENCES THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS AND REQUIRE A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF SUPERVISION AND STAFF TIME. DESPITE GOOD POTENTIAL FOR BENEFITING FROM PROGRAMMING, THEY SUFFER A GROSS LACK OF APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND ARE OFTEN VICTIMS OF INJUSTICES WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE FOLLOWING THREE GENERAL AREAS ARE ADDRESSED IN THIS BOOK: (1) THE NATURE OF MENTAL RETARDATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR; (2) THE HISTORY AND EXTENT OF THE PROBLEMS OF RETARDED OFFENDERS; (3) THE MECHANISMS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY TO THIS GROUP OF OFFENDERS, INCLUDING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND COUNSELING TECHNIQUES. REHABILITATION OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED IS SCHEMATIZED AS MOVEMENT FROM TOTAL DEPENDENCY TO INDEPENDENCE THROUGH PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF LEVELS OF SKILL. IN SEQUENCE, THESE SKILLS INCLUDE PERSONAL AND PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE, VOCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC, AND, FINALLY, RESIDENTIAL. THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL, THE CONCEPT OF HABILITATIVE TRAINING REFERS TO LEARNING TO ENHANCE THE CONDITION OF THE RETARDED INDIVIDUAL'S PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SOCIAL, VOCATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC CONDITION, BEGINNING AT THE LEVEL OF THAT PERSON'S COMPETENCY. THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF RETARDED PERSONS ARE OUTLINED, WITH ATTENTION TO INVOLVEMENT OF CITIZEN ADVOCATES AND THE GENERAL MOVEMENT TOWARD FULL CITIZENSHIP OF MENTALLY RETARDED PEOPLE BASED ON A RECOGNITION OF THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.