LEARNING DISABILITIES EVIDENCES AMONG CONVICTS WITH CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR IN IBADAN PRISON

Abstract

  Learning disabilities impacts on the functional abilities of persons presenting with it, as their academic performance come with unexpected products which results into shame, frustration, and social skills deficit which could prompt anti- social behaviour, and graduate into unlawful activities such as crime and criminal behaviour. This study examined the prevalence of learning disabilities among convicts so as to determine the relationship between learning disabilities and criminal behaviour. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the 70 literate convicts who formed the participants for the study. The Crime Behaviour Factor Battery (CBFB- α= .95) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised fourth edition (WAIS- IV- α= .81) to test for learning disabilities were used as research instruments. Three research hypotheses were generated in the study, which were then analysed with the use of frequency count and percentages. Convicted criminals with learning disabilities were found among the prison inmates 9 (18%); the specific learning disabilities of the participants with criminal behavior could not be determined, and the participants were of average intelligence (67 < FSIQ,< 82); (P< 0.05). Thus, the curriculum needs of persons with education- related special needs should be adequately met, while the judge definition of crime should be upheld in criminal hearing.