Youths with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System

Research has shown that, compared with non-disabled youths who commit offenses, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities tend to commit more serious offenses, are at a much higher risk of secondand third-time offending, and enter the juvenile justice system at a younger age (Zhang et al. 2011). Youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities are also more likely to become involved in the child welfare system, compared with youths without disabilities, because of a higher risk of abuse and maltreatment by parents or guardians (Slayter 2016). In addition, a recent report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics showed that the rate of violent victimization against persons with disabilities was at least double that of the rate for those without disabilities. For example, youths ages 12 to 15 with disabilities had a violent victimization rate of 139.1 per 1,000 persons, compared with youths without disabilities in the same age group; this group had a violent victimization rate of 37.5 per 1,000 persons (Harrell 2016). Similarly, youths with disabilities are more likely to experience bullying and victimization from classmates at school. One study found that youths ages 8–17 with disabilities (including learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder) were two to three times more likely to be bullied, compared with non-disabled youths (Twyman et al. 2010).