The incidence of mental retardation among the poor and the reasons for such high prevalence are the focus of the text which is based largely on the state of New Jersey. Mental retardation is viewed as a social pathology which thrives in the ghetto; the effects of poverty and racial prejudice are explored as are the assessment of intelligence and adaptive behavior. Also discussed are the following: poverty and organic impairment, deprivation and intellectual performance, public education and mental retardation, the health crisis of the poor, welfare, and food assistance programs. The plight of the poor in Newark is cited as an example of urban poverty, while rural poverty is examined through a case study of migrant laborers. (RJ)