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66 Prison J. i (1986)

handle is hein.journals/prsjrnl66 and id is 1 raw text is: Introduction An entire journal devoted to the topic of the mentally retarded or otherwise developmentally disabled offender for students of criminal justice is perhaps a first. For the authors contributing articles to this volume, there is excitement in having the opportun- ity to share philosophy and information in such a special forum. To others working in the trenches in new or struggling programs, this journal edition contains support for continuing effort. Santamour's article sets the stage for the rest of the contribu- tions. He cites renewed concern for offenders with mental retarda- tion and offers a historical overview of the topic, including state of the art treatment and programming goals and rationale. He dis- cusses discrepant research findings about the prevalence of mental retardation in the offender populations and offers some hypotheses for this variation and for the social factors that may combine to produce an overrepresentation of persons with mental retardation in the criminal justice system. If Santamour writes about what progress has been made, the next author further explains why progress has been so slow. Rocko- witz discusses the obstacles to be faced by a locale in serving the offender with mental retardation or other developmental dis- ability. She examines barriers found in the definition of the pro- blem, differences in orientation and philosophies held by criminal justice and developmental disability service staff, and other sys- tems problems. She also considers the special challenges posed by the behavior of the offender with mental retardation or other devel- opmental disability which tends to burn out even those who wish to be of help. Dr. Gelman offers advocacy as one solution to some of the obstacles cited by Rockowitz and Santamour. In his article, he explains the difference between mental retardation and devel- opmental disability and how the broadened definition of devel- opmental disability expands this special population. He cautions that the failure to distinguish between mental illness and mental retardation or other developmental disability can result in a depri- vation of rights. Gelman then defines elements of advocacy and dis- cusses the different modes of advocacy services which could be offered to offenders with developmental disabilities. If the first three articles set the stage, the remainder of the contributions describe specific efforts to deal with this special population. Pugh discusses the program established in Texas as a result of the 1981 consent decree following Ruiz v. Estelle. The Texas state prison program first identifies offenders with mental retardation and then separates them into a sheltered unit. They I

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