DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders Wade S. Lawson Wright State University

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

Abstract Juvenile delinquency has long been a significant social concern in our communities, and although law enforcement plays a tremendous role in combating the problem, special educators play an important role as well. It is well known that juvenile offenders are considerably more likely to receive special education services than regular education services. This paper examines (a) the prevalence of students with identified disabilities among the nations incarcerated youth; (b) why students with identified disabilities are drawn into delinquent behavior; and (c) strategies to avoid delinquency. This paper concludes with the belief that juvenile delinquency is not going away; however, there is hope for students with identified disabilities. Sincere intervention by dedicated special educators can greatly reduce the number of students drawn into delinquency.

Key Words: Prevalence, Intervention, Incarcerated, Delinquency

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

Criminal behavior is as old as man and despite our efforts; it will always be a part of society. All of us, at some time, have engaged in behavior that was questionable, if not seriously illegal. That being said, most of us realize that the behavior is unacceptable and refrain from repeated violations. We prefer to be part of the civil society and follow the rules. Some people, it seems, are just predisposed to a life of crime. These types of criminals enjoy the anti-social behavior and will continue to behave this way indefinitely. There are those; however, who seem to be drawn into delinquent behavior for far more troubling reasons. Students with learning and behavioral disabilities far too often become involved in delinquent behavior as an escape from their extensive academic and/or social deficiencies. For these students, there is hope; however, special educators must understand the complexities of the problem. I believe the solution will be found by addressing issues leading to delinquency rather than the actual delinquent behavior. Delinquent, Disabled, Does it Matter? For more than 100 years researchers have been trying to understand the link between juvenile delinquency and academic success. From the early days of study, scientists knew that there was a negative connection between low intelligence and criminal behavior among youth (Katsiyannis, Ryan, Spann, Zhang, 2008). Researchers today are still looking for the elusive answer to their question: Is it possible to consistently predict juvenile delinquency based on intelligence? There is certainly evidence to support the claim that delinquency is often caused by poor intelligence. Looking at the American juvenile justice system and the children

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

typically incarcerated reveals one troubling clue. Students with learning and/or emotional disabilities are grossly over-represented within the correctional facilities (Morris, Thompson, 2008). It is estimated that between 32% and 70% of incarcerated youths have identified disabilities. In comparison, only 9% of the general population has identified disabilities (Katsiyannis, et al, 2008). When considering the options for dealing with a troubled student, it is imperative that educators know where the childs problems lie. This is easier said than done, but we must know: Is the student simply a delinquent, or could the student be disabled? Although inherently different in cause, delinquency and learning/emotional disabilities share many of the same characteristics. As a result, one cannot simply label an incarcerated student a delinquent. Before dismissing the student as hopelessly anti-social, educators must determine if the student has fallen into delinquency because of an identified disability. Identifying a juvenile delinquent as suffering from an identified disability could be the key to setting them off toward a productive and law-abiding life. To answer this question the educator must first understand what it means to be delinquent. There are many ways to define the term delinquency, but for this issue the technical definition will suffice. Juvenile Delinquency is defined as one or more violations of laws by a person less than 18 years of age (Smith, 2008). Juvenile delinquents are typically aggressive and disruptive, and will often have substance abuse issues and mental health ailments. With an understanding of what delinquency is we can now compare the traits to those typically found among learning and emotionally disabled students. The similarities mentioned earlier soon become apparent. Students with disabilities can also be quite

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS aggressive and disruptive, and by definition, they will almost always suffer from some degree of mental health disorder. Possible Causes of the Change from Disabled to Delinquent Identifying a connection between delinquency and identified disabilities was just the beginning. Researchers are now trying to identify the reasons behind the connection. According to the article Academic Achievement and School Functioning Among Nonincarcerated Youth Involved with the Juvenile Justice System (Brown, Leaf, Riley, Walrath, Valdez, 2008), factors such as race, absenteeism, urban or rural environment, gender, suspensions and expulsions, and non-criminal involvement with the juvenile court system are all possible factors in causing some students with identified disabilities to become juvenile delinquents. Another possibility is a history of trauma. In their article Impact of a Comprehensive Whole Child Intervention Program among Youths at Risk of Gang Involvement and Other Forms of Delinquency, Koffman, et al. (2009) asserts that exposure to violence puts youth at extreme risk of behavior, emotional, and academic problems. The connection to violence and trauma could be one factor to explain why the prevalence of delinquency among students with identified disabilities is greater in poor urban areas where the overall crime rate is significantly higher than it is in the wealthier suburbs. Solving the Problem At any given time there are nearly 100,000 youths detained in the United States (Christle, Yell, 2008). This is an astounding number, but unfortunately the juvenile justice system has not taken effective steps to reduce the number. As a result, many

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS students with identified disabilities continue to be locked up. Researchers have put forth many ideas on how to reduce the prevalence of delinquency among students with

identified disabilities. One promising idea is what has been called a comprehensive whole child program (Abarran, et al, 2009). The whole child approach seeks to address all of the independent factors that seem to affect the students academic, social, and mental health outcomes. Another creative solution focuses on improving the reading ability of delinquent students. According to the Bureau of Justice, more than 70% of all incarcerated youths are illiterate, or read below a 4th grade level (Katsiyannis, et al, 2008). Improving reading level can improve overall learning, which is critical to preventing delinquency. In the article Preventing Youth Incarceration Through Reading Remediation: Issues and Solutions, Christle and Yell (2008) contend that academic failure as early as elementary school is a warning sign of future delinquency. As academic struggles are closely tied to reading ability, it is logical that improving reading ability will improve academic achievement and reduce delinquency. Conclusion The connections between identified disabilities and juvenile delinquency are clear. Nearly 100 years of research has definitively established the link. The focus now must be on developing means of combating the problem. As educators, we will never be able to eliminate juvenile delinquency; however, by effective use of current strategies and the development of new ideas, perhaps we can reduce the number of students with identified disabilities who fall into delinquency.

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders

DELINQUENCY AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS References Brown, J., Riley, A., Walrath, C., Leaf, P., & Valdez, C. (2008). Academic achievement and school functioning among nonincarcerated youth involved with the juvenile justice system. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 13(1), 59 75. Christle, C., & Yell, M. (2008). Preventing youth incarceration through reading remediation: Issues and solutions. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 24(2), 148176. Katsiyannis, A., Zhang, D., & Spann, A. (2008). Juvenile Delinquency and Recidivism: The Impact of Academic Achievement. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 24(2), 177 196. Koffman, S., Ray, A., Berg, S., Covington, L., Albarran, N., & Vasquez, M. (2009). Impact of a comprehensive whole child intervention program among youths at risk of gang involvement and other forms of delinquency. Children & Schools, 31(4), 239 245. Morris, R., & Thompson, K. (2008). Juvenile delinquency and special education laws: Policy implementation issues and directions for future research. The Journal of Correctional Education, 59(2), 173 - 190. Smith, C. (2008). Juvenile delinquency: An introduction. The Prevention Researcher; 15(1), 3 6.

Breaking the Link Between Special Education and Juvenile Offenders