NCJ Number
85973
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes preliminary results of a project to expand knowledge about the interrelationship between delinquency and learning disabilities (LD) by refining the classification of learning disabilities, exploring the prevalence of LD among juvenile delinquents, and establishing a remediation program to help learning disabled delinquents.
Abstract
Subjects were 1,617 boys aged 12 to 15 from 3 metropolitan areas; 633 had been adjudged delinquent (JD) while 984 had no official records of delinquency (NJD). Based on testing and school records, they were classified as either learning disabled or nondisabled. In addition to psychological and achievement test scores, assessments were also collected on the variables of self-reported delinquent behavior, social status, ethnicity, and attitudes toward school. Findings showed almost one-fifth of the NJD sample as LD; also, LD youths reported engaging in less delinquent behavior than those considered nondisabled. These results suggest that students who are referred to juvenile court for disposition and who possess learning disabilities have a strong probability of being adjudged delinquent even when the variables of age, social status, ethnicity and other background factors are controlled for. Additionally, the analysis of self-reported delinquent behavior disproves the contention that learning disabled boys engage in more delinquent actions than their nonlearning disabled peers. Recommendations are for more periodic assessments of students' academic performance at lower grade levels, better psychological diagnoses of problem children, court-assigned academic remediation for adjudged delinquents with learning disabilities, probation officer followup on school performance, and parent-teacher communication regarding academic performance and attitudes. Five references are given.