The defective delinquent.

Abstract

A discussion of the so-called “defective delinquent” should be opened with the statement that the symptom of mental retardation can be defined as an entity of considerable complexity which invades the intellect, the emotions, and physiology of the human personality. At the same time it is proper to acknowledge that our concept of the defective delinquent has yet to benefit from the new, comprehensive approach based on insights, programs, and concisely defined and commonly accepted medical, educational, psychological, and social procedures. I cannot hope to offer a detailed study of what constitutes defective delinquency. I can elaborate on our obvious inadequacies and suggest that we replace emotionally charged administrative discussions of how to dispose of those labelled “defective delinquents” with a scientific analysis aiming at a definition of the problem as the only objective and acceptable basis for communication, legal provisions, treatment facilities, and a preventive program if possible. As I have pointed out previously( I) we do not have a commonly acceptable definition of the term “delinquency.” Often it is applied to misdemeanors and minor offenses committed by children or adolescents. Sometimes major crimes like robbery, manslaughter, firstand second-degree murder, have been termed “delinquency.” To the lawyer, delinquency has primarily legal implications. The teacher might refer to delinquency when he faces behavior disturbances which he cannot handle with the generally accepted and available disciplinary methods. To the psychiatrist the term “delinquent” is highly unsatisfactory since it suggests merely the violation of a social law without any reference to the motivation, circumstances, or medical and psychological diagnoses. In the literature, we find that relatively little attention has been given the defective