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What crimes are being committing?
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What crimes are people with mental retardation usually charged with committing?
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The misconception that people with mental retardation usually commit serious crimes is unwarranted. Data taken from state and federal prisons reveal that people with mental retardation are more likely to commit serious felonies, but this information is misleading since prisons typically house inmates who commit serious crimes (Brown & Courtless, 1971).
On the other hand, data gathered from a specialized community program for offenders with mental retardation found that most offenders were arrested for committing misdemeanors and other less serious felonies (White & Wood, 1986). Similar research also finds that people with mental retardation commit less serious crimes, such as misdemeanors and public disturbances (Illinois Mentally Retarded and Mentally Ill Task Force, 1988).
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