Mental Retardation and Delinquency

Abstract

This paper has examined the literature dealing with the relationship between mental retardation and delinquency. Various aspects of the problem were examined and a number of suggestions proposed; however, many questions remain unanswered and many problems unsolved. It is evident that a sustained attack on the problem is needed. Chandler, et al. (1959) have made several proposals that would be helpful in ameliorating some of these problems. Among them, they proposed that the AAMD establish a committee to explore, with correctional authorities, problems related to the rehabilitation of the defective delinquent. This committee would develop a model code that could be used to identify and define the defective delinquent, and which would also serve as a framework in which trained personnel could work with the problem. They also called for case studies in several states, within this model code, to determine the needs of defective delinquents in order to determine the types of facilities and training that would be most appropriate for them. Hopefully, solutions to these and other problems will be forthcoming from the interdisciplinary empirical research study, “The Mentally Retarded and the Law,” which is being supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, in cooperation with the National Law Center (Allen, 1966).