Introduction

Published date01 April 1986
Date01 April 1986
DOI10.1177/003288558606600101
Subject MatterArticles
i
Introduction
An
entire
journal
devoted
to
the
topic
of
the
mentally
retarded
or
otherwise
developmentally
disabled
offender
for
students
of
criminal
justice
is
perhaps
a
first.
For
the
authors
contributing
articles
to
this
volume,
there
is
excitement
in
having
the
opportun-
ity
to
share
philosophy
and
information
in
such
a
special
forum.
To
others
working
in
the
trenches
in
new
or
struggling
programs,
this
journal
edition
contains
support
for
continuing
effort.
Santamour’s
article
sets
the
stage
for
the
rest
of
the
contribu-
tions.
He
cites
renewed
concern
for
offenders
with
mental
retarda-
tion
and
offers
a
historical
overview
of
the
topic,
including
state
of
the
art
treatment
and
programming
goals
and
rationale.
He
dis-
cusses
discrepant
research
findings
about
the
prevalence
of
mental
retardation
in
the
offender
populations
and
offers
some
hypotheses
for
this
variation
and
for
the
social
factors
that
may
combine
to
produce
an
overrepresentation
of
persons
with
mental
retardation
in
the
criminal
justice
system.
If
Santamour
writes
about
what
progress
has
been
made,
the
next
author
further
explains
why
progress
has
been
so
slow.
Rocko-
witz
discusses
the
obstacles
to
be
faced
by
a
locale
in
serving
the
offender
with
mental
retardation
or
other
developmental
dis-
ability.
She
examines
barriers
found
in
the
definition
of
the
pro-
blem,
differences
in
orientation
and
philosophies
held
by
criminal
justice
and
developmental
disability
service
staff,
and
other
sys-
tems
problems.
She
also
considers
the
special
challenges
posed
by
the
behavior
of
the
offender
with
mental
retardation
or
other
devel-
opmental
disability
which
tends
to
&dquo;burn
out&dquo;
even
those
who
wish
to
be
of
help.
Dr.
Gelman
offers
advocacy
as
one
solution
to
some
of
the
obstacles
cited
by
Rockowitz
and
Santamour.
In
his
article,
he
explains
the
difference
between
mental
retardation
and
devel-
opmental
disability
and
how
the
broadened
definition
of
devel-
opmental
disability
expands
this
special
population.
He
cautions
that
the
failure
to
distinguish
between
mental
illness
and
mental
retardation
or
other
developmental
disability
can
result
in
a
depri-
vation
of
rights.
Gelman
then
defines
elements
of
advocacy
and
dis-
cusses
the
different
modes
of
advocacy
services
which
could
be
offered to
offenders
with
developmental
disabilities.
If
the
first
three
articles
&dquo;set
the
stage,&dquo;
the
remainder
of
the
contributions
describe
specific
efforts
to
deal
with
this
special
population.
Pugh
discusses the
program
established
in
Texas
as
a
result
of
the
1981
consent
decree
following
Ruiz
v.
Estelle.
The
Texas
state
prison
program
first
identifies
offenders
with
mental
retardation
and
then
separates
them
into
a
sheltered
unit.
They

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