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Specific Learning Disabilities and the Justice

System

Linda SiegelUniversity of British Columbia

Vancouver, CANADA

linda.siegel@ubc.ca

Issues

• How can we assess learning disabilities in prison populations?

• What type of interventions can we provide considering that the target populations are youth and adults?

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Identifying Learning Disabilities Is Important

• Studies all over the world provide evidence that individuals involved with the justice system have significantly higher rates of illiteracy than the population as whole.

• Although less is known about mathematics difficulties in incarcerated populations, there is some evidence of significant difficulties with mathematics for individuals involved with the justice system

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Prison Costs - Canada

• $215,000 per year for each year for each youth in custody

• $70,000 per year – the cost of a special education teacher- 3 special education teachers for $210,000

• Where should we spend the money?– Prisons or– Special Education teachers

Literacy and the Justice System

• Low literacy skills and delinquency are correlated

• Incarcerated youth have lower literacy than non-incarcerated youth

• Recidivism is significalty more likely with youth exiting the justice system with low literacy skills

• Most incarcerated youth do not return to school

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Dyslexia

• Dyslexia = Reading disability

• Difficulty in the speed and accuracy of word reading and spelling– Unlike popular belief, dyslexia does

not mean that a person reverses letters or writes them backwards

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Characteristics Of Dyslexia

DIFFICULTY WITH:

• Recognizing the sounds in speech

• Knowing the sounds of the letters

• Finding the right word

• Grammar

• Memory

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Characteristics Of Dyslexia

Strengths

• Music

• Sports

• Art

• Visual-Spatial Skills

• Mechanical Skills

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Block Rotation

•The student is required to identify which of 2 patterns represent the target that has been rotated in 3D space

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Professions

• Photographer• Architect• Pilot• Mechanic• Air traffic controller

• Carpenter• Engineer• Welder• Designer• Animator

Group Assessment

• Spelling

• Orthographic– Which is the correct spelling – teech or

teach

• Phonological – Which sounds like a real word joak or joap

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Intervention Programs

• Lindamood Bell

• Lexia

• Orton Gillingham

• ABRACADABRA & ePEARL12

Materials for Adults

• Grass Roots Press

– Materials for adults at varying reading levels, even beginning levels

– Biographies of interesting people, even at a grade 2 reading level

– Include material about individuals from different ethnic, racial and cultural groups

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Essentials of Successful Research on these Questions

• Co-operation between the researchers and the justice system officials

• Reliable and targeted assessment• Use of adult oriented remedial programs,

possibly computer based• Use of appropriate non childish materials• Career focused education

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