Targeted treatment for adjudicated youth with learning disabilities: effects on recidivism

The effects of a criminal diversion project on recidivism rates are described for late-age adolescent defendants with learning disabilities. During the 24-month study period, 73 subjects who had completed the project's requirements and received targeted psychosocial, educational, and vocational treatments were compared with regard to criminal recidivism rates with 85 subjects who did not complete the project and a matched group of 34 untreated subjects. Based on official crime statistics, subjects who had completed the project were found to have a significantly lower recidivism rate (12%) relative to noncompleters (40%) and to subjects in the matched group (38%) (p < .001) over a follow-up period of, on average, 20 months. An analysis of differences between groups on a variety of demographic and criminal justice characteristics suggests that the groups were comparable with regard to the variables assessed. Potential mechanisms contributing to the favorable outcome are noted, as is the importance of targeting treatments so that they are skills oriented and combine the more general needs of delinquent youth with the particular needs of adolescents with learning disabilities.