Analysis of the Criminal Justice Personnels' (Police, Lawyers, Judges) Understanding of Mental Retardation and of the Mentally Retarded Offender.

The study involving 100 police officers, 75 lawyers, and 35 judges was designed to investigate and analyze the criminal justice system (CJS) personnel's understanding of mental retardation and the mentally retarded (MR) offender. Among findings obtained from responses to questionnaires were the following: 65% of the respondents indicated they understood the concept of mental retardation; 90% indicated that they felt the MR were law-abiding citizens; the populations were evenly split as to whether MR individuals should be held accountable in the same laws as normal individuals; and 84% of the CJS populations indicated an interest in attending a 1-day seminar on mental retardation and the MR offender. Included with the study report are a review of the literature, implications of the results, sample questionnaires and cover letters, and sample questionnaire responses. (SBH)