David Balla

SOME EVIDENCE OF RACE BIAS IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF THE JUVENILE OFFENDER

Clinical and epidemiological evidence is presented indicating that many more black delinquent children and their families fail to receive needed psychiatric and medical services than do white delinquents. Explanations and implications of the reluctance or inability of white mental health professionals to diagnose serious psychopathology in the black delinquent population are explored.

Delinquency, Parental Psychopathology, and Parental Criminality: Clinical and Epidemiological Findings

Abstract Prompted by the clinical recognition of serious psychopathology in both delinquent children and their parents, we report an epidemiological study of the possible association of delinquency, parental psychiatric treatment and/or hospitalization, and parental criminality. We also examine questions of assortative mating among psychiatrically impaired and criminally involved parents of delinquents. Findings suggest that delinquency, childrens psychopathology, parental psychiatric impairment, and parental criminality may be different manifestations of an entire familys severe adaptational problems. Whether the psychiatric or criminal justice systems become involved may depend primarily on which system is impinged upon at a given time.

Personality Factors in the Performance of the Retarded: Implications for Clinical Assessment

Abstract. Personality factors in the behavior of retarded individuals are discussed, including positive and negative reaction tendencies, expectancy of failure, motivation for differing kinds of incentives, outerdirectedness, and the influence of institutional experience on the personality development of retarded persons. The important of these factors in clinical assessment is indicated

Recent Issues in the Developmental Approach to Mental Retardation

A two-group approach to the range of intellect was explained to account for irregularities in the “normal” IQ curve. Organically retarded persons would be represented by one curve at the lowest end of the distribution. Familial retarded persons would be grouped with the rest of the population—their lower IQs considered a part of the normal variation dictated by the diversity of human genetic inheritance. The extreme environmental approach to mental retardation was summarized, as were the difference and general-developmental positions. Behavioral differences between mildly retarded and nonretarded persons of the same MA were explained in terms of environmentally-based motivational differences, including such factors as social deprivation, expectancy of success, optimal reinforcers, outerdirectedness, and institutionalization.

Self-Image Disparity and Attachment to Ethnic Subculture

Summary In an effort to investigate the effects of attachment to the dominant culture and of developmental level on the self-concept, 62 male Lebanese-Americans of first, second, or third generation of residence in America completed two forms (questionnaire and adjective checklist) of an instrument designed to measure self-image disparity. A series of questions was used to measure extent of attachment to the Lebanese subculture, and a social competence index was employed as the measure of developmental level. No effects associated with self-image disparity emerged for generation of residence or developmental level. However, subjects who were strongly attached to the Lebanese culture showed less disparity on the questionnaire than those who were detached from it. Some support was provided for the developmental position, since Low Competence Ss made larger numbers of extreme responses on the questionnaire than the High Competence S.

Introducing a child psychiatric Service to a juvenile justice setting

As presently constituted, juvenile courts serve neither the interests of society nor those of children. Partly as a response to this criticism, a child psychiatric clinic composed of a part-time child psychiatrist, social worker, and psychologist was introduced into an established juvenile court. This paper focuses on the process and difficulties of such an undertaking. The significance of this work for the future of the juvenile justice system is discussed.

Juvenile delinquency, adult criminality, and adult psychiatric treatment: An epidemiological study

This report explores some associations among juvenile delinquency, subsequent criminality, and subsequent psychiatric treatment. A sample of 255 males known to the juvenile court 25 years prior to the study is examined in terms of subsequent documented psychiatric treatment and/or criminal activity. Of the 255 former delinquents, 6% were known later to both criminal justice and psychiatric systems, 6% to psychiatric systems only, 28% to the criminal justice system only, and 60% to neither. Delinquents with later psychiatric histories were twice as likely to be known to the criminal justice system than were those without psychiatric histories. Those with adult psychiatric histories were also significantly younger at the time of their first delinquent offense and committed more juvenile offenses than the nonpsychiatric group. Only 2 of the 16 individuals later known to both systems were diagnosed sociopathic. The findings are discussed.