Overlast en criminaliteit door jongeren met een licht verstandelijke beperking. Een onderzoek naar de Utrechtse aanpak.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about youth with mild intellectual disabilities who exhibit nuisance and criminal behavior, to improve the method used in Utrecht to tackle such behavior. Seventeen professionals were interviewed, several case files were examined and manuals of three projects were analyzed. The main point that the results of this study reveal is that the identification of youth with mild intellectual disabilities is poor. Professionals find it difficult to recognize youth with mild intellectual disabilities because they show streetwise behavior and hide their disabilities. Besides poor identification, this study reveals a lack of a preventive, mild form of intervention and the possibility of long support for youth with mild intellectual disabilities. It is recommended to investigate how identification can be improved and how the range of interventions can be broadened.