NCJ Number
138682
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Information is presented to help careworkers in correctional facilities evaluate and verify a juvenile's special needs; refer the juvenile to the proper clinical or medical specialist; and ensure the safety of the juvenile, other juveniles, and staff.
Abstract
Special needs juveniles have both offense-related problems and problems that require additional support or services from facility staff, aftercare staff, and staff from other departments such as psychological and psychiatric services. Two groups of special needs juveniles who require particular attention are those adjudicated dependent and juvenile sex offenders. Juveniles adjudicated dependent generally feel emotionally abandoned and believe that adults cannot be trusted to meet their needs. Sex offenders must be closely supervised during their course of treatment. Guidelines provide information on identifying and dealing with several categories of special needs: drug abuse and addiction, alcoholism, suicide, mental retardation and illness, as well as appropriate treatment for mental health problems. The observations of careworkers and input to clinical staff prove invaluable in terms of proper diagnosis, treatment, and followup.