Mentally Retarded Offender in an Urban Jail Setting - From Identification to Advocacy and Legal Intervention (From Retarded Offender, P 464-476, 1982, Miles B Santamour and Patricia S Watson, ed. - See NCJ-88305)

• NCJ Number: 88328
• Author(s): Anonymous
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The Los Angeles County Regional Centers for Developmentally Disabled Persons established a law enforcement liaison officer to screen and assess persons in jails to determine if they are developmentally disabled, train jail personnel to identify such inmates, and assist in improving the conditions for such offenders.

Abstract

The law enforcement liaison officer has an office in the Los Angeles County Jail, and this officer receives referrals from jail staff, who have been trained by the liaison officer to be sensitive to signs of mental retardation in inmates. The liaison officer conducts tests to determine if a developmental disability exists. Subsequent services provided may include protection, advocacy, and legal intervention. Upon release, the client is put in touch with the services of one of the three regional centers for developmentally disabled persons. There is a specialized housing unit for selected developmentally disabled inmates who cannot function well or may be exploited in the general jail population. Under the influence of the regional centers, an innovative diversion statute was passed in 1981. The legislation provides that the court consult with the prosecutor, the probation department, and the appropriate regional center after informed consent of the defendant and waiver of rights to a speedy trial have been obtained. This enables mentally retarded offenders to be diverted to the services of a regional center. Three notes are listed.