JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND LEARNING DISABILITIES: IS THERE ANY LINK?

Abstract

Learning disabilities are neurologically-based processing problems and they do interfere with all the basic skills such as reading, writing and/or math and they also interfere with higher level skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long / short term memory and span of attention. There often appears to be a gap between the individual’s potential and actual achievement.Interestingly, the problem appears in its full bloom in an adult when unknowingly and unintentionally he does something which is known to be crime or unlawful activity. As the age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as declared in law hence in that case, correctional homes also cannot cater to his needs and eventually his journey ends up in the four walls of prison. Is there any link between Learning Disabilities and crime? Since this is one among those areas which is still untouched in the developing or under developed countries, this paper is an attempt to explore the possibilities of a link between Learning Disabilities and crime among youth. It throws light on those problems where intensive research need to be conducted. It tries to see all the aspects of behavioural issues, attention deficit, depression, anxiety, isolation, other challenges and associated conditions of persons with learning disabilities which may lead to committing crime.Connolly (1971) suggested that learning disabilities cause school failure, continuous school failure generates rejection and poor self-concept for the student and it might lead to juvenile delinquency.