Variables related to court decision making and recidivism over a two-year follow-up were studied in a group of 475 first-time referrals to a juvenile court. Recidivism was associated with extralegal factors more consistently than were court actions except on the age variable. Court actions were more strongly related to legally relevant factors and, like the referral offense variable, failed to predict recidivism. The court's extensive and repeated reliance on diversion (vs. formal petitioning of cases) did not generate high recidivism levels, implying a need to reconsider the recent “get tough” orientation of juvenile justice policy.

This paper summarises the main areas of therapeutic developments in recent years in the field of learning disability. There has been a growing interest in alternative ways of helping learning‐disabled people live with themselves and the world in a socially acceptable way. Most such approaches are person‐centred, even if provided in a group setting. The range and types of therapies are illustrated and the advances in humanistic approaches highlighted. Cognitive, psychodynamic and creative therapies have been added to behaviour therapy, with good results, indicating the potential of learning‐disabled people to benefit from the same sorts of therapy as other people.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract