AbstractThis article focuses on the criminal justice system and the manner in which it accommodates persons with developmental disabilities who have behavioral challenges and who have been charged with serious crimes. Individuals with intellectual deficits and challenges are often severely disadvant

This article focuses on the theme of, "What's right with behavior disorders?" In recent years, the internal and external attacks on special education have accelerated markedly. The field of behavior disorders (BDs) has not been immune from such attacks, but they have been less frequent than is the case for other areas of special education or generic special education. The current landscape of BDs, and critical issues within it, are described herein followed by a review of the strengths, contributions, and notable achievements of professionals in our field that have influenced society and general education as well as special education. The capacity of our field to produce high-quality research is also reviewed. Some challenges that our field faces from postmodern formulations of BDs as well as translating our research into effective, deliverable practices are discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of the strengths and resilience of BDs and its cadre of professionals.

This article examines the present state of affairs in the field of behavioral disorders. The case is made that the field's target population has changed dramatically for the worse over the past 25 years due primarily to the transformation of our society in an unfortunate manner. Because of long-term exposure to such risk factors as poverty, drug and alcohol use by caregivers, child neglect, social fragmentation, weak parenting practices, and violent images in the media, we have produced a generation of children and youth who are far more at risk for unhealthy lives than prior generations. Our society's responses to the damaging effects of these developments (e.g., school failure and dropout, delinquency, violent acts) have been characterized primarily by the use of punishing sanctions designed to teach vulnerable children and youth lessons of avoidance rather than to prevent these conditions or to habilitate the victims of them. Strategies are suggested for professionals to consider in advocating for new, proactive approaches in addressing these societal problems.

This present study sought to decrease the self-injurious behavior of a 37-month-old child enrolled in a preschool program. The subject persisted in biting and mouthing his left hand, resulting in reddening and callousing of the area between the thumb and index finger. A multiple-baseline design with a reversal component was used. In multiple-baseline fashion, restitutional and positive practice overcorrection were tried with reductions in both biting and mouthing during two separate periods of time in the preschool setting. Withdrawal and reintroduction of overcorrection, representing the reversal component, established unequivocally that reductions in the self-abusive behavior were attributed to the overcorrection treatment procedure. In a third, untreated setting—the home—no transfer of training was indicated. Strategies are offered that might result in generalized treatment effects.

The present study examined the effects of one component of overcorrection—verbal reprimands—and compared them with the effects of the entire overcorrection procedure. Generalization and maintenance of effects were also evaluated. A combined reversal and multiple-baseline experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of the various contingencies on the inappropriate searching behavior of a severely and profoundly mentally retarded adult living in a group home. Searching was defined as carefully and thoroughly touching floors, sofas, cabinets, etc. Data were collected by group-home personnel during three separate observation periods each day of the 115-day study: before breakfast, after breakfast, and after dinner. Observers also served as experimenters. Following an initial baseline phase, verbal reprimands followed searching behavior during two daily experimental periods in multiple-baseline fashion. An immediate reduction of searching during experimental periods occurred with the onset of verbal reprimands. No reduction was observed in the third daily observation period, the control session. After a second baseline phase, during which searching behavior was not shown to return to the original baseline levels, overcorrection procedures (washing hands) were instituted. Overcorrection virtually eliminated inappropriate searching during both daily experimental periods. Further, the effects generalized to the daily control session. In a final experimental phase, decreased searching behavior was maintained with verbal reprimands alone.

Recently overcorrection has been used to discourage inappropriate behaviors and encourage appropriate behaviors of severely and profoundly handicapped people. This procedure has combined verbal reprimands, verbal instructions, and manual guidance (if necessary) and dictates that an offender “overcorrect” his misbehavior. Two types of overcorrection training have been reported – restitutional overcorrection, in which the individual restores a disturbed setting or situation to a state vastly improved from that existing prior to the disruption, and positive practice overcorrection, requiring that the individual practice appropriate modes of responding several times following inappropriate behavior. This paper reviews the components of overcorrection, the rationale for its use, the two types of overcorrection training reported, the levels of instructional assistance, and some common misinterpretations. And it suggests extensions to the vocational and social development of the severely/profoundly handicapped.