NCJ Number
136726
Date Published
1991
Length
20 pages
Annotation
American correctional institutions house a group of learning disabled offenders who are different from the general offender population, and these differences are strongly associated in the literature with academic performance and deviant behavior.
Abstract
Among sociological factors contributing to delinquent behavior, school failure is significantly linked to delinquency, dropout, and numerous behavioral and attitudinal outcomes. The identification of a failure-prone school population, known as the learning disabled, offers a new dimension to research on variables most closely associated with juvenile delinquency. Several parallels have been drawn between learning disabled students and juvenile delinquents. For example, delinquents are characterized as impulsive, fidgety, aggressive, hyperactive, and irresponsible. Coupled with a low frustration tolerance, these behaviors may produce social skill deficits for both learning disabled and juvenile delinquent populations. Corrections represents a complex issue, and correctional education has moved to the forefront as a treatment alternative for incarcerated offenders. Because learning disabled students require special instructional considerations to learn to read, write, and reason, it follows that the correctional experience will require special design as well. A correctional plan is included that designates the type of program participation required from the offender and the sponsoring service provider. 92 references and 2 tables