A study examined the self-determination knowledge of incarcerated students with (n=20) and without (n=25) disabilities. A relationship was found between self-determination knowledge and gender, reading level, math level, and disability. Students who were male, had a disability, and/or had low academic abilities in math and/or reading had lower…

This study examined the effectiveness of a Positive Talk curriculum in promoting specific conversational social skills of nine incarcerated female adolescent juvenile delinquents. Sequential application of a multiple baseline across groups design demonstrated that the training was successful in promoting the participants' social skills.…

This study found that the responses of 40 institutionalized adults with moderate mental retardation to the tasks of discriminating emotions and expressing empathy were poor in contrast to those with mild mental retardation. Of individuals with mild mental retardation, those with no chronic challenging behaviors scored better than those with…

Investigated the psychiatric comorbidity, health, and functioning of 1,000 primary care patients with alcohol abuse and dependence (AAD). Psychiatric symptomatology was assessed with the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) diagnostic system, which resulted in a 71 percent increase in physician recognition of AAD. Other findings…

This study found chronic regurgitation in 23 of 220 institutionalized adults with severe mental retardation. A high prevalence of dysphagia and gastroesophageal abnormalities was found, suggesting the importance of full evaluation and treatment prior to a diagnosis of rumination in this population. (Author/DB)

Historical discussions of the euthanasia or "lethal chamber" option in relation to people with mental retardation are presented. The paper concludes that eugenic beliefs in the primacy of heredity over environment and the positive role of natural selection may have condoned the poor conditions characteristic of large, segregated institutions and…

Spoken communication between residents (n=10; ages 12-21) and staff members in an institution for people with mental retardation was examined. Findings suggest that staff members and residents differed in their use of topics, with staff members talking primarily about instructional and behavior management topics and residents focusing mostly on…

The article addresses special problems of aging in persons with mental disabilities, including needs of persons living out their lives in institutions, normalized services for community residents, early preparation for aging, and appropriate residential placement. (DB)

Nurses applied standard behavioral criteria for major depression to evaluate 89 institutionalized adults with severe or profound intellectual disability. Results suggested that several additional behaviors listed on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist and the Developmental Behavior Checklist may be associated with this disorder in this population.…

The Houston (Texas) Independent School District instructs 2,500 students annually that are homebound, hospitalized, or in agency settings through a separate campus called Community Services. Five administrators, 130 teachers, and 52 assistants operate the program. Teachers travel to the students and even though they are responsible for preparing…

This article reviews issues related to the development of young children adopted from Eastern Europe. Medical considerations, growth and developmental delays, sensory processing difficulties, and social and emotional development of institutionalized children are discussed. Issues are considered in light of their effects on child and family…

Due to Lack of Funding, the Percentage of Inmates Participating in Education Programs Is Declining, while the Prison Population Continues to Surge Stretching across 1,700 acres in the middle of the desert near the California-Nevada border, the Ironwood State Prison may seem like a forbidding place, but for at least 10 percent of its 4,600 inmates,…

This study explores a group of inmates' perceptions of their correctional education and environment based on Fetterman's 1994 idea of empowerment evaluation. A group of 16 male inmates were randomly selected from GED and ABE courses in a high minimum correctional facility in Illinois. A self-administered questionnaire included 5 topics:…

Since 1990, the literature has shown that prisoners who attend educational programs while they are incarcerated are less likely to return to prison following their release. Studies in several states have indicated that recidivism rates have declined where inmates have received an appropriate education. Furthermore, the right kind of educational…

In this article, the author describes the San Francisco Sheriff's Department (SFSD) Life Skills for Prisoners Program. The program was designed to enhance and expand the Resolve to Stop the Violence Project, which had operated successfully for three years in the San Francisco County Jail as a restorative justice program. The mission of SFSD is to…