Abstract
Previous research has shown that many juvenile offenders experience academic, as well as social, problems in school. This study was designed to examine the types and extent of academic deficiencies of a large group of juveniles held in a regional detention facility and to determine differences in academic performance on a standardized measure of three key academic areas: reading, language, and mathematics. More specifically, the intent was to examine performance by juvenile offenders in relationship to their current grade levels, whether they had experience in special education, and their gender. Major findings were that (a) most participants' achievement scores in all three areas were below their grade-level placements, (b) students with experience in special education scored significantly lower than other juvenile offenders, and (c) males scored significantly lower than females. Possible explanations for these findings and their implications for further research and for prevention and intervention are discussed.
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