ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author reviews the rationale for social skills training with delinquents. A number of studies have focused on social skills training with convicted delinquents. For the most part this research is encouraging in showing that social skills training can be taught to young offenders. Susan Spence has reported a number of social skills training projects with young, male offenders in England, and her particular techniques are reported in a recommended manual for counselors. A specialized program for adolescents currently on probation has been developed at the Child Psychiatry Clinic of the Los Angeles County—University of Southern California Medical Center by the author. Referrals were sought from the Northeast Juvenile Justice Center, the probation division that serves the immediate community surrounding the medical center: the central and eastern metropolitan area of Los Angles. Routine intake evaluations were conducted and written by any staff or trainees available.
