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Date: April 20, 2024 Sat
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28 results foundAuthor: Sin, Chih Hoong Title: Disabled People's Experiences of Targeted Violence and Hostility Summary: This report draws on an extensive literature review, qualitative interviews with disabled people and stakeholder interviews to examine disabled people's experiences of targeted violence and hostility. The report examines the risk, prevalence and nature of targeted violence in the U.K. and hostility experienced by disabled people; the experiences of individuals; the impact on disabled people, family, carers and wider society, and issues of reporting, recording and redress. The wider policy implications are also outlined. Details: London: Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009. 155p. Source: Research Report; 21 Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 118294 Keywords: Developmentally DisabledDisabilityHate CrimesPolice AdministrationPolice ReformPolicing (Colombia)Policing TrainingViolence |
Author: National Advisory Committee on Health and Disability (National Health Committee) Title: Review of Research on the Effects of Imprisonment on the Health of Inmates and their Families Summary: Around the developed world, a growing and changing prison population has given rise to renewed interest in the effects of incarceration on the health of inmates. This is a population with many complex and often co-morbid health needs, and the difficulty in separating and determining causal links has led many to conclude that health needs are „imported‟ by inmates rather than being a product of their experience of incarceration. The truth is almost certainly a combination. Prisoners comprise a number of more vulnerable population groups such as young people, older people, people with intellectual or physical impairments, women, and Māori and Pacific people (both overrepresented among the prison population). Each group has particular health vulnerabilities and needs which must be met within an institutional environment designed, by and large, for adult men of European descent who are „sound‟ in „mind and body‟. Although prison is sometimes a setting for health improvement, the environment is in many ways a severe risk to the prisoner and to his or her family. Suicide and self-harm can be more likely among inmates. Mental health problems and addictions are prevalent and often co-morbid in prisons. Prisoners are at far greater risk of death immediately after release, supporting the view that the health of prisoners must be treated within a broader context which incorporates connections with family and continuity of care from community to prison and back to community. Communicable diseases and the behaviours that spread them are commonly developed within the prison environment. The conditions of prison can exacerbate deterioration in older prisoners and those with pre-existing health conditions. Evidence suggests that the emotional and psychological pressures of incarceration; health issues in their own right; are also linked to the development of many chronic conditions. The experiences of life within the custodial world can also be psychologically damaging – triggering memories of past trauma or abuse, inspiring behavioural adaptations (hyper-vigilance, secretiveness, aggression, and so on) that translate poorly into family life, and undermine the prisoner‟s roles in the family and community and ultimately, their identity. The families and children of inmates suffer from a range of factors associated with both the removal and the re-entry of a family member. Financial pressures and deterioration of social ties while a partner is incarcerated can lead to significant psychological strain for parent and children alike. For children, poor outcomes that have been linked with the imprisonment of a parent include behavioural problems such as aggression, hyperactivity and delinquency; mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and low self-esteem; and developmental problems such as regression and difficulty in school. Incarceration has been shown to have a deleterious effect on vulnerable communities, in which erosion of social networks and social capital are incorporated into a cycle – often intergenerational – of criminality, reduced life chances and imprisonment. Large gaps remain in the body of research, notably collection of basic health status and health needs, benchmarking to evaluate improvement and information sharing among agencies and between agencies and health professionals. Furthermore, due to an overwhelming assumption that health issues are completely imported, the question of the health effects of prison is not being adequately addressed anywhere in the world. Although there are many omissions in the international literature, the most glaring include the impact of imprisonment on oral health, the quantification of physical injuries in prisons, the effects on or deterioration of (existing) disabilities including vision and hearing and the medical impacts on the children and families of inmates. All of these are also missing from local information. There are also many debates New Zealand is failing to engage in. These include: the experience of imprisonment; the collateral consequences of incarceration and its effect on the children, families and communities of prisoners; the experience and effects of home detention; the influence prison has during different developmental stages and the implications for categorisation, legislation and penal design; the experience of elderly prisoners and the needs of the greying prison population; the rate of violence, bullying and sexual abuse in New Zealand prisons; the experience and health needs of prison staff; the post-release experience - including mortality - and the health and service delivery outcomes for prisoners with disabilities. Details: Wellington, NZ: National Health Committee, 2008?. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2011 at: http://www.nhc.health.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagescm/7506/$File/prisoner-health-review-aug08.pdf Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.nhc.health.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagescm/7506/$File/prisoner-health-review-aug08.pdf Shelf Number: 120973 Keywords: DisabilityHealth CareInmates (New Zealand)Mental HealthPrisoners |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Core Case Inspections of Youth Offending Work: Aggregate Findings Across Four English Regions and Wales, Including Findings by Diversity Summary: This report provides aggregate findings across four English regions and Wales from HMI Probation’s Core Case Inspections (CCI) of key aspects of Youth Offending work by Youth Offending Teams, which are covering all 157 YOTs over a three year period from April 2009. The findings in this report cover the 79 YOT areas inspected so far. • Overall, these findings indicate that much sound work is being undertaken with young people who have offended, but that there is scope for further improvement, among other things in Public Protection work, in a number of YOTs. • On the main elements of work inspected in the CCI – Safeguarding and Public Protection: - the overall average percentage of Safeguarding work, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 67% - the overall average percentage of work to keep to a minimum each young person’s Risk of Harm to others, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 62% - the overall average percentage of work to make it less likely that the individual young person would reoffend, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 70% • In 88% of the cases the YOT worker actively motivated and supported the young person throughout the sentence. • In 73% of cases delivered interventions in the community were of good quality. In only 55% of all cases were they reviewed appropriately. • In 64% of cases where the young person did not comply with the supervision the authority took enforcement action sufficiently well. • When analysed by diversity characteristics, for the main elements of work overall, and for the majority of key specific aspects of work, there were no statistically significant differences. However, where there were differences, work was done sufficiently well: - with girls and young women somewhat more often than with boys and young men - on some aspects of work, including some on Risk of Harm, a little more often with white young people compared to black and minority ethnic (BME) young people - with individuals under 16 years of age somewhat more often than with the older age group - with individuals with no identified disability somewhat more often than those with an identified disability • Overall, there were no major differences in the quality of work between children and young people of different diversity characteristics, but the figures indicate that certain specific matters may require attention. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2011. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 28, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/CCI_aggregate_report_March_2011-rps.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/CCI_aggregate_report_March_2011-rps.pdf Shelf Number: 121146 Keywords: DisabilityDiversityJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Juvenile ProbationOffender SupervisionRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: AbilityPath.org Title: Walk A Mile In Their Shoes: Bullying and the Child with Special Needs Summary: This report and guide provides background information, statistics, and firsthand accounts of bullied special needs children. Details: AbilityPath.org, 2011. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 17, 2011 at: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/learning--schools/bullying/articles/walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/learning--schools/bullying/articles/walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes.pdf Shelf Number: 121656 Keywords: DisabilitySchool Bullying |
Author: Fontaine, Jocelyn Title: Supportive Housing for the Disabled Reentry Population: The District of Columbia Frequent Users Service Enhancement Pilot Program Summary: Using qualitative and quantitative data, this report discusses the history, performance, and progress of the District of Columbia Frequent Users Service Enhancement Pilot Program, implemented by the Corporation for Supportive Housing. As a supportive housing reentry program focused on disabled individuals with histories of homelessness and incarceration, the program intended to provide housing and coordinate services for 50 "frequent users" leaving the city jail. Over the first year of operations, the program successfully identified and targeted more than a dozen frequent users and linked them to supportive housing through effective cross-system coordination. Policy implications of the evaluation findings are discussed. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2011. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2012 at: Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 123638 Keywords: DisabilityHomeless PersonsHousingPrisoner Reentry (Washington, DC) |
Author: Dutta, Debolina Title: Count Me IN! Research Report on Violence Against Disabled, Lesbian, and Sex-working Women in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal Summary: The count me IN! Research Report on Violence Against Disabled, Lesbian, and Sex-working Women in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal is based on the first ever multi-country research study on violence faced by disabled women, lesbian women, and female sex workers (FSWs) in three countries in South Asia—Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. CREA conducted the research study in partnership with University College London (UCL); James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh; Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action (SNEHA), India; and Centre for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA), Nepal. This report collates the findings and recommendations that emerged from the three country studies carried out by the research partners, under the aegis of CREA and UCL. Although significant strides have been made towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in many parts of the world, violence against women (VAW) continues to be a pressing issue for the South Asian agenda. Violence against women who are marginalised on the basis of sexuality or gender expression is particularly high. Yet, it remains under-reported and under-addressed because of the stigma and discrimination associated with them. The study investigated the hypothesis that women who are outside the mainstream of the South Asian society suffer higher rates of violence and are often unable to seek and receive protection from State agencies. Women who are outside the mainstream on account of, for example, their sexuality (women who have sex with women), their occupation (women who sell sex), their age (women who are young and never married), or their physical or mental ability to assert themselves (women with physical or mental disability) are at an increased risk of violence. They are systematically restricted in their access to resources and are unable to fully participate in society. A global literature review of various peer-reviewed research studies, focusing on disabled women, lesbian women, and FSWs, revealed that the overwhelming majority of these were conducted in North America. Only one of the identified studies was undertaken among the FSWs in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This highlights the existence of gaps in the evidence about or from South Asia. This report is a first step towards filling in some of these gaps in research by looking at the intersections of marginalisation, gender, and violence against women (VAW) in South Asia. The fundamental rationale behind the research study was to foreground the voices of these three groups of marginalised women. The study aimed at making their concerns, experiences, and struggles central to the ways in which VAW is understood, and laws and policies are shaped. Details: New Delhi, India: CREA, 2012. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2012 at: http://ilga.org/ilga/static/uploads/files/2012/5/8/08223438.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://ilga.org/ilga/static/uploads/files/2012/5/8/08223438.pdf Shelf Number: 125411 Keywords: Bias-Motivated CrimesDisabilityDiscriminationGays, Lesbians and Bisexuals, Crime AgainstGender-Based ViolenceProstitutesSex WorkersViolence Against Women (Asia) |
Author: Hughes, Nathan Title: Nobody Made the Connection: The Prevalence of Neurodisability in Young People Who Offend Summary: Childhood neurodisability occurs when there is a compromise of the central or peripheral nervous system due to genetic, pre-birth or birth trauma, and/or injury or illness in childhood. This incorporates a wide range of specific neurodevelopmental disorders or conditions, with common symptoms including: muscle weakness; communication difficulties; cognitive delays; specific learning difficulties; emotional and behavioural problems; and a lack of inhibition regarding inappropriate behaviour. This report presents a review of published evidence in relation to the following research questions: • What is the prevalence of various neurodevelopmental disorders amongst young people within the youth justice system secure estate? • What are the key issues for policy and practice associated with these levels of prevalence? The report has several key audiences, from national government departments and bodies, to local strategic partnerships and agency leads, to practitioners working with young people with potential neurodevelopmental difficulties. Details: London: Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, 2012. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 24, 2012 at: http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_633 Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_633 Shelf Number: 126786 Keywords: Developmentally DisabledDisabilityJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Neurological Disorders |
Author: Baldry, Eileen Title: Lifecourse Institutional Costs of Homelessness for Vulnerable Groups Summary: There is a dearth of empirical research in Australia examining the lifecourse institutional costs associated with vulnerable people who are homeless. Evidence has been mounting that vulnerable groups, in particular persons with mental health disorders and cognitive disability (MHDCD) who experience clusters of disadvantageous circumstances, are over-represented amongst those coming to the attention of police and being serially arrested and incarcerated. People in these groups are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs and be homeless or marginally housed. Persons in this group are often caught in a vicious criminal justice cycle (Baldry et al 2006) with the costs to the person and the community estimated to be very high (Burt 2003; Edwards et al 2009; Flatau et al 2008; Gulcur et al 2003; Mental Health Coordinating Council 2008). But there has been little empirical pathway costing done. The study presented here has developed pathway costings using the Mental Health and Cognitive Disability in the Criminal Justice System (MHDCD) Dataset that contains data on lifelong interventions and interactions with all criminal justice and some human services agencies that are available for a cohort of 2,731 people who have been in prison in NSW and whose MHDCD diagnoses are known. This study’s purpose is to contribute to understanding the real costs associated with this group’s homelessness and criminal justice involvement and to alternative policy and program responses. Merging data across criminal justice sub-systems and with relevant human services is a useful way to provide a broad, dynamic understanding of the trans-criminal justice and human service involvement of persons with complex needs. This study takes an empirical approach to calculating the economic costs of the pathways of eleven individuals who have cycled in and out of homelessness, using the MHDCD Dataset containing their interactions with housing, health, community services and criminal justice agencies. 1 This institutional contact was costed by working with the relevant criminal justice and human service agencies to develop methods of measurement to ascertain unit costs. The cost of each unit of intervention or service recorded in our data - for example, being taken into custody by Police or being given rent assistance by Housing - was calculated across agency and by age, and total costs compiled. Lifecourse institutional costs for the 11 case studies, currently aged between 23 and 55, range from around $900,000 to $5.5 million. The economic costs to government are significant, as are the social and human costs. Whilst each individual story reflects the impacts of particular conditions and experiences, together the case studies highlight the breadth and depth of social need and disadvantage experienced by these individuals, as well as the complex and compounding interactions between them. In almost every case discussed, significant disadvantage, vulnerability and risk factors are obvious from early adolescence and, for several individuals from childhood, yet care and protection and early intervention do not occur in any substantial or sustained way. The evidence is stark that this early lack of adequate services is associated with costly criminal justice, health and homelessness interactions and interventions later in their lives. Millions of dollars in crisis and criminal justice interventions continue to be spent on these vulnerable individuals whose needs would have been better addressed in early support or currently in a health, rehabilitation or community space. It is obvious that access to integrated and responsive support services including drug and alcohol support, mental health and disability services or other psycho-social forms of support is needed. The provision of secure housing and support for an individual to maintain a tenancy appears a key factor in higher criminal justice and emergency services costs. Early and well-timed interventions to establish and maintain secure housing and associated support services could significantly reduce the need for the future years of criminal justice interventions. This study, while focused on the economic costs across the lifecourse associated with vulnerable people who are homeless, does not capture all possible costs to government or to society more generally. There are other elements to the costs of homelessness which the information contained in the MHDCD Dataset could contribute to in future research studies, such as the costs to the individuals, their families and the broader community, the costs of crime, opportunity costs, and cost-benefit research. The policy implications of this study are: • The atomised and singular manner in which homeless persons with complex compounded needs are addressed by most agencies is extremely costly and counterproductive. Early holistic support is crucial for disadvantaged children with cognitive disabilities and/or mental health disorders who are homeless or in unstable housing. • Provision of skilled disability supported accommodation and education early in life would save significant spending on homelessness and criminal justice interventions later in life. • System incentives to cost-shift should be eliminated. • There is evidence of avoidance of working with complex and poorly housed children and adults by human service agencies resulting in criminal justice services, particularly Police, being used as frontline child protection, housing, mental and cognitive disability services. • A significant change in the way government human service agencies approach this small but extremely costly group of persons is required. The evidence from this project suggests that robust, holistic, cross portfolio support and intervention resonses fit for purpose (eg appropriate and adequate disability support with housing) are needed. Details: Sydney, AUS: School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2012. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: https://homelessnessclearinghouse.govspace.gov.au/files/2012/10/Lifecourse-Institutional-Costs-of-Homelessness-final-report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://homelessnessclearinghouse.govspace.gov.au/files/2012/10/Lifecourse-Institutional-Costs-of-Homelessness-final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 126889 Keywords: DisabilityEconomics of CrimeHomeless PersonsHomelessness (Australia)Mentally Ill |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: Core Case Inspection of Youth Offending Work in England and Wales: Report on Youth Offending Work in Lewisham Summary: This Core Case Inspection of youth offending work in Lewisham took place as part of the Inspection of Youth Offending programme. We have examined a representative sample of youth offending cases from the area, and have judged how often the Public Protection and the Safeguarding aspects of the work were done to a sufficiently high level of quality. We judged that the Safeguarding aspects of the work were done well enough 75% of the time. With the Public Protection aspects, work to keep to a minimum each individual’s Risk of Harm to others was done well enough 68% of the time, and the work to make each individual less likely to reoffend was done well enough 80% of the time. A more detailed analysis of our findings is provided in the main body of this report, and summarised in a table in Appendix 1. These figures can be viewed in the context of our findings from Wales and the regions of England inspected so far. We also found against a difficult backdrop that included gang rivalry, drugs and knife crime, the staff in Lewisham worked constructively with children and young people. Improvements were needed, however, to improve the quality of work related to the Risk of Harm to others and to some aspects of how the vulnerability of those children and young people known to the service could be reduced. Overall, we consider this a creditable set of findings. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2012. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2012 at http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/youth-inspection-reports/core-case/lewisham-cci-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/youth-inspection-reports/core-case/lewisham-cci-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 127241 Keywords: DisabilityDiversityJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Juvenile ProbationOffender SupervisionRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: Pitman, Ivan Title: The Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury among Adult Male Offenders in the UK Summary: This study, the largest in the UK to consider the possible causal link between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and offending behaviour in adult males, showed that almost half (47%) of the men screened on admission to HMP Leeds had a history of TBI. With almost three quarters of offenders receiving their first injury before their first offence, a possible causal link between experiencing a TBI and offending was a key finding. In comparison with a group of offenders with no history of TBI, those offenders who had suffered a TBI had spent more time in prison, had been in and out of prison more often and were likely to experience higher rates of anxiety and depression. Routine screening, coupled with increased awareness, staff training and effective support, could prove vital to reducing recidivism as well as improving the health and well-being of significant numbers of offenders with a history of TBI. Details: Burgess Hill, West Sussex, UK: Disabilities Trust Foundation, 2012. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.vodg.org.uk/uploads/pdfs/The%20Disabilities%20Trust%20Foundation%20-%20Briefing%20on%20Brain%20Injury%20and%20Offending.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.vodg.org.uk/uploads/pdfs/The%20Disabilities%20Trust%20Foundation%20-%20Briefing%20on%20Brain%20Injury%20and%20Offending.pdf Shelf Number: 127594 Keywords: Brain Injuries and Offending (U.K.)DisabilityMale Offenders |
Author: Astbury, Jill Title: Triple Jeopardy: Gender-Based Violence and Human Rights Violations Experienced by Women with Disabilities in Cambodia Summary: Cambodian women with disabilities experience multiple disadvantages resulting from the interplay between gender, disability and poverty. This participatory research project, developed collaboratively between Australian and Cambodian partners, investigated prevalence and experiences of gender-based violence of women with disabilities in comparison to women without disabilities; assessed the extent to which existing policies and programs include or address women with disabilities; and explored how women with disabilities are supported or denied access to existing programs. The study found that women with disabilities and women without disabilities faced similar levels of sexual, physical and emotional violence by partners. However, the picture that emerged in terms of family violence (excluding partners) was starkly different. Women with disabilities experienced much higher levels of all forms of this violence. They were much more likely to be insulted, made to feel bad about themselves, belittled, intimidated, and subjected to physical and sexual violence than their non-disabled peers. These results, building on scarce developing country evidence, speak to the unique vulnerabilities of women with disabilities to violence. There is an urgent need for mainstream services to ensure that women with disabilities can access their services, and for services for people with disabilities that address gender concerns. Similarly, it is critical that discriminatory attitudes which condone and perpetuate violence against women with disabilities are challenged and transformed. Details: Canberra: AusAID (Australian Agency for International Development), 2013. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: AusAID Research Working Paper 1: Accessed February 15, 2013 at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/research/Documents/triple-jeopardy-working-paper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Cambodia URL: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/research/Documents/triple-jeopardy-working-paper.pdf Shelf Number: 127631 Keywords: DisabilityFamily ViolenceHuman RightsIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (Cambodia) |
Author: Great Britain. Inspectorate for the Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Title: Living in a Different World: Joint Review of Disability Hate Crime Summary: This joint review considered how the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and probation trusts deal with the complex area known as disability hate crime. This has involved a consideration of not only the policies/procedures and actions of the three agencies, but also social attitudes and barriers that exist in relation to disabled people more generally. They are linked together. Whist disability hate crime is one of the five hate crime strands, (the others being race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity) there needs to be an acknowledgment that it has a unique position and requires additional status, simply to ensure that it is treated on an equal footing to the other strands. Disability is an area where social attitudes are still ill informed. Key findings Identification and reporting of disability hate crime Whilst definitions and guidance have been issued, this review reveals that there is a lack of clarity and understanding as to what constitutes a disability hate crime and confusion between policy definitions and the statutory sentencing provision contained within section 146 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (s.146 CJA 2003). (This is the statutory provision that allows the court to regard the defendant’s behaviour as an aggravating feature if (a) the offender has demonstrated hostility based on a disability or (b) the offence was motivated by hostility towards persons who have a disability - see paragraph 2.3.) This causes difficulties not only for practitioners in the identification and recording of disability hate crime but also for members of the public, including victims who are disabled. Improvements need to be made by the police and CPS in how they identify and record disability hate crime. All police, CPS and probation staff need to be fully aware of the statutory provision in s.146 CJA 2003 and there needs to be a common policy definition that is universally recognised and applied at ‘ground level’, that is simple to interpret. The under reporting of disability hate crime remains a significant concern and needs to be addressed. Whilst a number of initiatives have been put in place, further steps need to be taken to improve the confidence of disabled people to report matters to the police. A variety of effective reporting mechanisms are required. Once reports are made to the police, practitioners need to ensure that any disabilities are identified (including hidden impairments). Victims must then be supported sufficiently, their evidence given in the most effective manner and kept fully informed of what is happening in their case. Whilst community engagement projects are currently undertaken by the police and CPS, these need to be jointly co-ordinated, and have specific aims. The immediate priority should be increasing reporting of disability hate crime. Probation trusts also need to increase their awareness of disability issues through engagement with disabled members of our community. The police investigation and prosecution process The police are failing to fully consider disability hate crime issues in day to day investigative work. This review reveals examples of poor understanding of different types of disabilities by officers and in addition there is frequently a failure to examine the offender’s motivation for committing offences. As a consequence, insufficient evidence is obtained to support the requirement set out for the court to regard the defendant’s actions as an aggravating feature under s.146 CJA 2003. There is also a failure by the police to identify disability hate crimes to the CPS when seeking charging advice and a lack of provision of appropriate information to the CPS by the police. Whilst CPS lawyers demonstrated the ability to identify disability hate crimes on occasion, they did not necessarily ensure that the police provided all of the required evidence and did not always analyse the disability hate crime issue sufficiently. There was also a lack of clarity displayed by CPS lawyers as to what essential information should be included within the initial charging advice. The CPS needs to ensure that disability hate crime cases are correctly identified on its case management system. The number of administrative errors needs to be reduced substantially and lawyers need to identify cases against clear and understandable criteria. A process also needs to be in place to ensure that on every relevant file a decision is made whether the prosecutor will put forward s.146 CJA 2003 to the court. Clear records need to be maintained of the results of those cases where s.146 CJA 2003 is raised. The CPS needs to improve its performance in relation to the quality of case preparation to ensure that disability hate crimes are effectively prosecuted. At court and post-conviction Whilst inspectors witnessed examples of CPS lawyers raising s.146 CJA 2003 at court, it was of concern that all of the members of the judiciary who were interviewed as part of the review were of the view that they were not being invited to consider s.146 CJA 2003 on anything but a very exceptional basis. It does not appear that s.146 CJA 2003 has been embedded within the sentencing process. The quality of CPS and police information supplied to probation trusts was limited and insufficient for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and there was an over reliance on information provided by the offender, who minimised the seriousness of the offence. This lack of provision of key information also impacted on probation trust offender managers carrying out the role effectively and resulted in a culture of accepting the offender’s account, rather than placing the focus on the victim. Training and leadership As the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report Hidden in plain sight - Inquiry into disability-related harassment (the EHRC report) states, ‘many people can simply feel uncomfortable about disability’ and the practitioners who are dealing with these cases will have widely varying levels of experience of interaction with disabled people. This is a difficulty that is not generally present when dealing with other crimes. There needs to be put in place an effective and comprehensive training programme for practitioners. Whilst progress has been made in relation to disability hate crime, the leaders of the police, CPS and probation trusts need to regard it as a key strategic priority. The relatively low numbers of disability hate crimes currently recorded should not be allowed to be used to devalue the importance of these types of crimes. There are reasons why the current figures are so low and many relate to the inability of the criminal justice system to combat prevalent social attitudes and to deal effectively with cases that can have inherent complexities. Given the demands on staff, without determination on the part of the leadership to achieve real change, there is unlikely to be any significant progress. Conclusion, recommendations and good practice Conclusion Disability hate crime is a complex area and has a number of unique features. In many ways it is the hate crime that has been left behind. The Government report Challenge it, Report it, Stop it - The Government’s Plan to Tackle Hate Crime (March 2012) highlights the importance of dealing with hate crime appropriately, not only for the individuals and their families, but also because of the negative impact these types of crimes have on communities in relation to cohesion and integration. It also sets an agenda for the criminal justice agencies to improve their performance in relation to all hate crimes and this presents a unique opportunity for the police, CPS and probation trusts to contribute to tackling the underlying prejudice and ignorance that drives hate crime. A new impetus that focuses on (a) improving awareness of what disability hate crime is, (b) increasing the reporting of disability hate crime and (c) embedding disability hate crime processes within the routine working practices of police, CPS and probation trust staff is required. The report concludes with a number of recommendations. Details: London: HMCPSI, HMIC; HMI Probation, 2013. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/media/a-joint-review-of-disability-hate-crime-living-in-a-different-world-20130321.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.hmic.gov.uk/media/a-joint-review-of-disability-hate-crime-living-in-a-different-world-20130321.pdf Shelf Number: 128084 Keywords: Bias CrimesDisabilityDisabled PersonsHate Crimes (U.K.) |
Author: Williams, Huw Title: Repairing Shattered Lives: Brain injury and its implications for criminal justice Summary: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading form of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and is considered a silent epidemic. The condition most frequently occurs in young people, resulting predominantly from falls, sporting injuries, fights and road accidents, and is the major cause of death and disability amongst this group. Both sexes are equally affected when very young, however males are much more at risk than females in teenage years and adulthood. The consequences of brain injury include loss of memory, loss of concentration, decreased awareness of one’s own or others emotional state, poor impulse control, and, particularly, poor social judgment. Unsurprisingly behavioural problems such as conduct disorder, attention problems, increased aggression, and impulse control problems are prevalent in people with ABIs. The brain during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood is rapidly growing and its connections are shaped and strengthened by experience. It is these developing connections and pathways which enable it to pass information and drive the processes necessary to respond to and sustain life. An injury to the brain before these areas have fully developed may cause them to never entirely evolve or ‘misfire’. Recent research has shown that skills that are developing at the time of injury may be the most vulnerable to being disrupted, while already established skills may be more robust. This report explains the connection between acquired brain injury (ABI) and increased contact between children, young people and young adults with criminal justice processes, with a particular focus on the impact of ABI upon developmental maturity. This report combines a review of current studies on the subject with recommendations for commissioners and practitioners. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, Transition to Adulthood, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Repairing-Shattered-Lives_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Repairing-Shattered-Lives_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128429 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersNeurological Disorders |
Author: Dona Sapp, Brad Ray Title: Traumatic Brain Injury Prevalence: Indiana Department of Correction Prison Population Summary: In Indiana, there is currently no systematic screening for traumatic brain injury (TBI) among incarcerated populations; however, a recent analysis conducted by researchers at the Indiana University Public Policy Institute (PPI) of baseline TBI screening data, collected in fall 2012 by the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC), suggests that nearly 36 percent of offenders in Indiana facilities reported some form of TBI during their lifetime.. This issue brief summarizes the results of the Indiana baseline data analysis, as well as research findings from other states and at the national level, on the prevalence of TBI among incarcerated populations. The brief concludes with a discussion of recommended best practices for diagnosing and treating TBI both pre- and post-release from prison, including recommended next steps for addressing this issue in Indiana. Details: Indianapolis: Indiana University, Public Policy Institute, Center for Criminal Justice Research, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2013 at: https://www.policyinstitute.iu.edu/criminal/publicationDetail.aspx?publicationID=735 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.policyinstitute.iu.edu/criminal/publicationDetail.aspx?publicationID=735 Shelf Number: 129573 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityMental Health ServicesMentally Ill OffendersNeurological DisordersPrisoners (Indiana, U.S.) |
Author: Ortoleva, Stephanie Title: Forgotten Sisters - A Report on Violence against Women with Disabilities An Overview of its Nature, Scope, Causes and Consequences Summary: This report, prepared by scholars and human rights advocates who are members of the Working Group on Violence against Women with Disabilities, focuses on the prevalence and pervasiveness of violence against women and girls with disabilities. The Working Group recognizes the need to ensure that women and girls with disabilities are included as full participants in data-gathering, analysis, and proposed solutions as the mandates of Ms. Rashida Manjoo, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, and Mr. Shuaib Chalklen, the Special Rapporteur on Disability, move forward. Additionally, the Working Group calls on international organizations, especially those focused on women’s rights such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women (which will consider as its priority thematic issue violence against women at its 57th session in March 2013) and UN Women, and the international community, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to join us in the effort to highlight these critical issues. Because women with disabilities make up a significant part of the world’s population, principles of fairness and equality require that the world engage in a vigorous discussion on how to end violence against them. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank (WB), more than one billion people (approximately 15% of the world’s population) live with some form of disability. Significantly, for the World Bank and World Health Organization disability level threshold of 40, which includes those experiencing significant difficulties in their everyday lives for both low income and high income countries, the male disability prevalence rate is 12 with standard error .18 and the female disability prevalence rate is 19.2 with standard error .19. Based on these figures, it is clear that women with disabilities constitute a significant portion of the global population and that the pervasive violence against women with disabilities must be addressed. The 2011 Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women focused on the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that contribute to and exacerbate violence against women, noting that factors such as ability, age, access to resources, race/ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity and class can exacerbate the violence women experience. Although women with disabilities experience many of the same forms of violence all women experience, when gender and disability intersect, violence takes on unique forms, has unique causes, and results in unique consequences. Further, women with disabilities who are also people of color or members of minority or indigenous peoples, or who are lesbian, trans-gender or intersex or who live in poverty, can be subject to particularized forms of violence and discrimination. These intersections must be explored in greater depth to ensure that the complexities of violence against women with disabilities are properly understood and addressed. Details: Boston: Northeastern University School of Law, 2012. 229p. Source: Internet Resource: School of Law Faculty Publications. Paper 184; Accessed August 20, 2013 at: http://iris.lib.neu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1184&context=slaw_fac_pubs Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://iris.lib.neu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1184&context=slaw_fac_pubs Shelf Number: 129616 Keywords: DisabilitiesDisabilityViolence Against Women (International) |
Author: Hassiotis, A.A Title: Behavioural and Cognitive-Behavioural Interventions for Outwardly-Directed Aggressive Behaviour in People with Learning Disabilities (Review) Summary: Challenging behaviour is a significant cause of social exclusion for people with learning disabilities. ('Learning disabilities' is also known as ' intellectual disabilities'). There is no firm evidence as yet about which interventions help people with learning disabilities most with their challenging behaviour. In this review we assess the efficacy of behavioural and cognitive behavioural interventions for a specific type of challenging or 'problem' behaviour, that is, outwardly-directed aggression. Details: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2008. Issue 4. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2014 at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003406.pub3/pdf Year: 2008 Country: International URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003406.pub3/pdf Shelf Number: 131970 Keywords: AggressionDisabilityIntellectual DisabilitiesLearning Disabilities |
Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Beyond Doubt: The experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime Summary: This research sought to examine whether police services in Victoria are delivered on an equal basis for people with disabilities who are victims of crime, compared to those without disability. Our study aimed to: - explore what factors have an impact - both positive and negative - on the initial contact between a person with disability and police when a crime is reported - gain a better understanding of the environments in which crimes against people with disabilities occur and how this affects the reporting process - identify what is and isn't working well across the justice system, including during reporting, interviewing, investigation and prosecution. The study focused on people with disabilities who have been victims of crimes against the person in the last two years in Victoria. These crimes include assault, sexual assault, indecent assault causing serious injury and family violence. We used a qualitative approach that included: - twenty-seven in-depth case study interviews with people who had experienced a crime, supported someone to report a crime or who worked in the justice system - twenty-four key informant interviews with those who have specialist knowledge of disability, crime victimisation and reporting - thirteen focus groups, involving 61 people, including with groups of police members, Independent Third Persons, people with disabilities, advocates, Auslan interpreters and people who provide care and support - reviewing submissions from a range of organisations and examining aggregate de-identified data from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Justice Victims Support Agency (VSA) - a confidential survey that asked respondents about their experience of crime, reporting crime and the police response. We received 63 responses, including 52 from people with disabilities and 11 from people who provide care and support for people with disabilities. In addition, the Commission undertook a legislative and policy review, reviewed relevant research and completed a comparative analysis of other jurisdictions to identify potential policy solutions. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2014. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/our-resources-and-publications/reports/item/894-beyond-doubt-the-experiences-of-people-with-disabilities-reporting-crime Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/our-resources-and-publications/reports/item/894-beyond-doubt-the-experiences-of-people-with-disabilities-reporting-crime Shelf Number: 132784 Keywords: DisabilityHandicapped PersonsPolice PerformanceVictims of Crime |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Callous and Cruel: Use of Force against Inmates with Mental Disabilities in US Jails and Prisons Summary: Staff in US correctional facilities are authorized to use force when necessary to control dangerous or highly disruptive prisoners. But officials have used violence needlessly against prisoners diagnosed with mental illness. Callous and Cruel - based on Human Rights Watch's review of several hundred individual and class action court cases and interviews with 125 current and former prison and jail officials, mental health professionals, lawyers, advocates and academics - documents a pattern of unnecessary, excessive, and even malicious force against such prisoners in US prisons and jails. It details incidents in which correctional staff have deluged prisoners with mental disabilities with painful chemical sprays, shocked them with powerful electric stun weapons, and strapped them for days in restraining chairs or beds. Such abuses have taken place in response to minor misconduct such as urinating on the floor, masturbating, complaining about not receiving a meal, refusing to come out of a cell, using profane language, or banging repeatedly on a door. Force is used against prisoners even when their misconduct is symptomatic of their mental health problems and even when those problems prevent them from being able to understand or comply with staff orders. The report concludes with recommendations on ending the abuses, including through improved mental health services in prisons and jails and use of force policies that address the unique needs and vulnerabilities of prisoners with mental disabilities, enforced through proper training, supervision, and accountability mechanisms. Details: New York: HRW, 2015. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2015 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/usprisoner0515_ForUpload.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/usprisoner0515_ForUpload.pdf Shelf Number: 135557 Keywords: Correctional InstitutionsDisabilityMental Health ServicesMentally Ill InmatesPrisoner Maltreatment |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Iinspectorate of Constabulary Title: Joint Review of Disability Hate Crime Follow-Up Summary: 1.1 This joint follow-up review considered how the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and probation service providers (National Probation Service (NPS)/Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs)) have responded to the seven recommendations contained in the Criminal Justice Joint Inspection (CJJI) March 2013 review of disability hate crime. Key findings Awareness of disability hate crime 1.2 The 2013 review highlighted the need for the three agencies to quickly (within three months) take the appropriate steps to ensure that the public and those who work in the criminal justice system (CJS) understood disability hate crime. This is a fundamental step in ensuring (a) that the level of under reporting is reduced and (b) once recognised by the CJS, that the appropriate level of service is provided to victims of disability hate crime. The casework examination undertaken as part of this review reveals continuing difficulties by the police, CPS and probation staff in identifying disability hate crime. 1.3 There are examples of good practice relating to awareness raising at national level, such as the guidance to police forces contained within the Framework for Implementation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recommendations published jointly by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the College of Policing in 2013, and the subsequent publication by the College of Policing of the National Policing Hate Crime Strategy in 2014. At the local level awareness-raising events have taken place in different parts of England and Wales. However, neither the police nor the CPS have succeeded in significantly improving performance at operational level. Recognising this, the CPS Chief Executive has now assumed personal responsibility for driving improvement by the Service and a CPS national action plan was launched in November 2014. 1.4 Similarly, although the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has provided direction and some probation trusts have worked with local partners to improve awareness of disability hate crime, it is still seen as a very small part of their work and is not dealt with effectively. Increased reporting of disability hate crime to the police 1.5 The number of reports of disability hate crimes to the police recorded by the Home Office remains low, at only 1,985 in 2013-145 and the gap between this and the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated figure of 62,000 disability motivated hate crimes6 remains significant. It is particularly concerning that in the Home Office reporting figures for disability hate crime for 2013-14, nine police force areas had less than ten reports. 1.6 Disappointingly, inspectors found that the police forces visited had not conducted a formal review of the different methods by which information is received from the public to ensure that every opportunity is being taken to identify victims of disability hate crime. This represents a lost opportunity. Embedding disability hate crime processes within the working practices of the police, CPS and probation staff 1.7 Unfortunately, the approach to delivering effective training by the agencies has been inconsistent and slow. Without the required impetus it is not surprising that performance has not improved significantly. 1.8 The 2013 review highlighted errors in the recording of data relating to disability hate crime by the police and CPS. This follow-up reveals that whilst there have been some improvements, further progress is required. Highlights include: - Case file examination undertaken as part of this review reveals an improvement in the number of files accurately identified to the CPS as disability hate crimes by the police (when they seek charging advice from the CPS) to 20%7 (compared to 7% in the 2013 review). However, further improvement is required. - In around a third of recorded disability hate crimes the crime reports lacked information to show they complied with the agreed definition of disability hate crime, usually because it was not made explicit who had perceived the crime to be motivated by hostility or prejudice against the victim's disability or perceived disability. - Of the 107 CPS files examined inspectors were of the view that 76 (71%) were correctly identified as disability hate crime in accordance with the CPS policy (compared to 69% in 2013), 19 files (18%) involved a disabled victim but the case did not fall within the CPS definition of flagging as a disability hate crime (compared to 12%) and 12 files (11%) were flagged incorrectly as administrative or other error (previously 19%). 1.9 Whilst the CPS has reduced the number of files flagged as administrative/other errors, there is a continuing need for improvement, as the data reveals only a small improvement in the accuracy of recording disability hate crime files. 1.10 The CPS case management system has the capacity to record those disability hate crimes where the court uplifted the sentence for the aggravated element (section 146 Criminal Justice Act 2003) and the number of recorded 'uplifts' is unacceptably low. 1.11 This review also examined 21 pre-sentence reports and there was little or no evidence that disability hate crime had been awarded a higher priority within the work of those agencies delivering probation services than in 2013. There was little evidence that disability hate crime forms all but a very small part of the work of NPS/CRCs. In part this is due to the lack of reporting of these cases. However, even in those cases where there was clear evidence that they met the disability hate crime definition, in the majority there was no recognition by those providing probation services that these were disability hate crimes. Conclusion 1.12 The 2013 review highlighted that disability hate crime is a complex area with a number of unique features. It called for a new impetus that focussed on (a) improving awareness of disability hate crime, (b) increasing the reporting of disability hate crime and (c) embedding disability hate crime processes within the routine working practices of police, CPS and probation staff. The seven recommendations, if implemented effectively, would have made a substantial contribution to achieving these overarching aims. 1.13 This follow-up reveals that there has been insufficient progress made against the recommendations. An opportunity to achieve improvements in the criminal justice system for all members of society has not yet been taken. Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2015. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/joint-review-of-disability-hate-crime-review.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/joint-review-of-disability-hate-crime-review.pdf Shelf Number: 135099 Keywords: Bias CrimesCrime StatisticsDisabilityHate Crimes |
Author: National Disability Rights Network Title: Orphanages, Training Schools, Reform Schools and Now This? Summary: Children with disabilities are disproportionately placed in the juvenile justice system, receive inadequate treatment and are denied educational opportunities, the National Disability Rights Network asserted in a report released today. "More than 65 percent of youth in the justice system meet the criteria for a disability, a rate that is three times higher than that of the general population," said Curt Decker, NDRN's executive director. "The millions we spend housing and feeding our young people behind razor wire can be far better spent helping them to find their way in this world." The findings in Orphanages, Training Schools, Reform Schools and Now This? are based upon scores of reports from the nationwide Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System. P&As provide legal and other advocacy services to children and youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, and also maintain a presence in the facilities in which they are found, including prisons, jails, and detention centers. P&As have the legal authority to monitor and investigate allegations of abuse in these facilities. Issues addressed in this report include: Diversion of children and youth with disabilities from the juvenile justice system (particularly stemming the "School to Prison Pipeline"), humane conditions while incarcerated (such as accommodation and communication needs, medical care, mental health treatment, and the prevention of abuse and neglect) and re-entry services like education and treatment to ensure the child or youth's success upon release from the facility. The report describes the problems children and youth with disabilities encounter, solutions used with success by the P&As, and provides specific recommendations for systemic improvements. Some of those recommendations include: -Congress should authorize and fund a Protection and Advocacy for Juvenile Justice Program to help divert youth with disabilities from entering the juvenile justice system, investigate and monitor conditions for youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, and ensure proper return to the community with needed services and supports. -Congress should prohibit the use of solitary confinement and/or isolation for all juveniles, including those housed in adult settings. -Congress should require that schools identified as having elevated school-based arrest rates: 1) lose the opportunity to use federal funds to employ School Resource Officers (SROs); 2) ensure SROs work is limited to traditional police activities and not discipline of non- violent student behavior; and, 3) require SROs in those schools to undergo training in specific, related topics. -The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Department of Justice (DOJ) should fully enforce laws requiring that education of youth in facilities is equal to that provided to students in other public schools. Details: Washington, DC: National Disability Rights Center, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.ndrn.org/images/Documents/Issues/Juvenile_Justice/NDRN_-_Juvenile_Justice_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.ndrn.org/images/Documents/Issues/Juvenile_Justice/NDRN_-_Juvenile_Justice_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135922 Keywords: DisabilityJuvenile DetentionJuvenile DiversionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Forrester, Pamela Title: Promising Intervention Approaches for Offenders with Cognitive Deficits Related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Other Neuropsychological Disorders Summary: What it means Offenders with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and other neurological disorders have complex, lifelong disorders that require adapted correctional practices and continued services from multiple providers. Although there is a scarcity of literature on evidence-based practices with this group, this review has identified best practice guidelines. What we found The evidence-base on what works for offenders with FASD and other neurological disorders is very sparse. There is, however, a growing consensus on promising practices that assist offenders with special needs in key aspects of their functioning. Many of these practices are currently in place within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). Based on the literature review, recommendations for institutional correctional practices include: - initial screening for cognitive deficits; - enhanced assessment for those identified with deficits, including an examination of functional deficits and a comprehensive assessment of criminogenic needs; - participation in adapted institutional programs (e.g., small groups; teaching only one or two concepts per session; repetition of material; coaching to demonstrate the application of the concepts). - staff training on strategies for working effectively with this subgroup of offenders; - provision of continuity of care through detailed pre-release planning; and, - case management provisions that broker and coordinate services while incarcerated. Based on the literature review, recommendations for community correctional practices include: - provision of supportive housing; - participation in comprehensive programs that include enhanced supportive case management and mentoring services; - access to meaningful and supported employment services; and, - consolidation of family and/or community support. Why we did this study FASD encompasses a range of conditions caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol which can result in neurophysiological changes to an individual's brain structure and function. Offenders with FASD and other neurological disorders may have difficulty adjusting to the correctional environment and benefiting from conventional programs because of deficits in executive functioning, memory, attention, and adaptive behavior. The purpose of the present study was to provide a comprehensive summary of the existing literature relevant to promising practices for adult offenders with these disorders. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Draft: Research Report No. R-340: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-r340-eng.shtml Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-r340-eng.shtml Shelf Number: 136629 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsDisabilityFetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderInmatesNeurological DisordersSpecial Needs Inmates |
Author: Bronson, Jennifer Title: Disabilities Among Prison and Jail Inmates, 2011-12 Summary: Presents the prevalence of disabilities among prison and jail inmates, detailing the prevalence of six specific disability types: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living. Important differences in each type of disability are highlighted by demographic characteristics. The report also assesses the prevalence of disabilities with other health problems, such as a current chronic condition, obesity, ever having an infectious disease, and past 30-day serious psychological distress. Findings are based on prison and jail inmate self-reported data from BJSs 201112 National Inmate Survey (NIS-3). Data from the 2012 American Community Survey (ACS) and 20092012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to compare the incarcerated populations to the noninstitutionalized general population. Highlights: An estimated 32% of prisoners and 40% of jail inmates reported having at least one disability. Prisoners were nearly 3 times more likely and jail inmates were more than 4 times more likely than the general population to report having at least one disability. About 2 in 10 prisoners and 3 in 10 jail inmates reported having a cognitive disability, the most common reported disability in each population . Female prisoners were more likely than male prisoners to report having a cognitive disability, but were equally likely to report having each of the other five disabilities. Non-Hispanic white prisoners (37%) and prisoners of two or more races (42%) were more likely than non-Hispanic black prisoners (26%) to report having at least one disability. More than half of prisoners (54%) and jail inmates (53%) with a disability reported a co-occurring chronic condition. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2015. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/dpji1112.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/dpji1112.pdf Shelf Number: 137801 Keywords: DisabilityDisabled PersonsInmatesPrisoners |
Author: Parsonage, Michael Title: Traumatic Brain Injury and Offending: An Economic Analysis Summary: Over a million people in this country live with the consequences of traumatic brain injury, at a cost to the economy of around L15 billion a year. Funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust as part of its Transition to Adulthood programme, this report presents an analysis of the costs of traumatic brain injury, with particular reference to the links between head injury and crime. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), also described as head injury, is any injury to the brain caused by impact, for example a direct blow to the head or a force that causes the brain to move around inside the skull. Common causes are falls, road accidents, collisions and violence. Head injuries vary greatly in severity, depending on whether and for how long they result in a loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia. About 10-15% of all TBIs are classified as moderate or severe and the remaining 85- 90% as mild. Details: London: Centre for Mental Health, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Traumatic-brain-injury-and-offending-an-economic-analysis.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Traumatic-brain-injury-and-offending-an-economic-analysis.pdf Shelf Number: 140151 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityMental Health ServicesMentally Ill OffendersNeurological Disorders |
Author: Young, Jesse T. Title: Transition from prison for people with intellectual disability: A qualitative study of service professionals Summary: People with intellectual disability face a range of challenges on their release from prison due both to their own needs and the complexity of the service delivery system, which can make effective service delivery difficult. This difficulty is exacerbated by the sometimes combative nature of relationships between service providers. These issues could be addressed, at least in part, by improved training and stricter guidelines for those working in the sector. Representatives of disability and justice-related agencies in Queensland and Western Australia were interviewed for this research. The findings will be useful to policymakers and those who work in corrections, disability support and related sectors. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 528: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi528.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi528.pdf Shelf Number: 147306 Keywords: DisabilityDisabled PersonsIntellectually Mentally-Disabled Offenders |
Author: American Civil Liberties Union Title: Caged In: Solitary Confinement's Devastating Harm on Prisoners with Physical Disabilities Summary: Every day, in prisons and jails across America, prisoners with physical disabilities are held in conditions of near-total isolation—also known as solitary confinement. Locked in cages roughly the size of a regular parking space, prisoners held in solitary confinement are kept alone in their cells for approximately 22 hours a day or more. While in solitary, they have little or no human interaction, access to light, rehabilitative programming, or constructive activity. In 2015, the ACLU sought to expose the harms of solitary confinement by investigating the challenges facing prisoners with physical disabilities subjected to this devastating practice. The current and formerly incarcerated people with disabilities who we spoke with described their experiences of enduring extreme isolation for days, months, and even years. They shared the pain and humiliation of being left to fend for themselves in solitary confinement without wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, or other necessary accommodations to carry out life’s basic daily tasks. Without these vital accommodations, many of them were left without the means to walk, shower, clothe themselves, or even use the toilet. Deaf and blind prisoners reported that prison officials failed to provide them with access to hearing aids, Braille materials, certified sign language interpreters, or other auxiliary aids and services that are necessary to facilitate meaningful communication. As a result, many prisoners reported being left completely isolated without any ability to communicate with other prisoners, staff, family members, and other visitors. The devastating psychological and physical harms of solitary confinement are well known. Mental health experts studying the issue agree that solitary confinement is psychologically harmful. People subjected to solitary confinement may experience hallucinations, depression, paranoia, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide, among other negative reactions. In fact, prisoners held in solitary confinement account for nearly 50 percent of all completed suicides by incarcerated people. Beyond this, solitary confinement can also be physically debilitating. Stress, enforced idleness, and limited access to health care, including medically necessary prescriptions and physical therapies, among other factors, can lead to severely diminished health outcomes for prisoners. Details: New York: ACLU, 2017. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 25, 2017 at: https://www.aclu.org/files/caged-in/010916-ACLU-SolitaryDisabilityReport-Accessible.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.aclu.org/files/caged-in/010916-ACLU-SolitaryDisabilityReport-Accessible.pdf Shelf Number: 147824 Keywords: DisabilityIsolationRestrictive HousingSolitary Confinement |
Author: American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada Title: Unlocking Solitary Confinement: Ending Extreme Isolation in Nevada State Prisons Summary: In several states, including Colorado, New Mexico, New York, and Texas, advocates have released comprehensive reports on state use of solitary confinement. These reports enable advocates and lawmakers to better understand and reform the often hidden practice of solitary confinement. In Colorado, for example, a report contributed to the ban on isolation among juveniles as well as reforms that drastically decreased the use of solitary confinement on adults. For several years, the ACLU of Nevada (ACLUNV) and other advocates worked with lawmakers to end the use of isolation in Nevada. In 2013, Nevada lawmakers passed Senate Bill (SB) 107, a reform bill that limited the segregation of children and mandated a legislative study of its use on adults. The ACLUNV brought in leading forensic psychiatrist and solitary confinement expert Dr. Terry Kupers to offer the state some guidance on the issue. However, the resulting study was incomplete, due to the NDOC’s datakeeping practices. In 2015, the ACLUNV, Solitary Watch, and the Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center reached out directly to those who could speak most intimately on the use of solitary in Nevada—the incarcerated themselves. We mailed surveys to 749 people in prison and received 281 complete responses from individuals currently serving a sentence in a correctional facility or conservation camp in Nevada. Over 40 percent of the completed surveys were from men held in Ely State Prison (ESP). Those held in Northern Nevada Correctional Center (NNCC) and Lovelock Correctional Center (LCC) each constituted 11 percent of the surveys, and 15 percent of the surveys came from High Desert State Prison (HDSP). The vast majority of respondents were male, with responses from just twenty incarcerated women. On average, respondents were 42 years old, ranging in age from 21 to 72. Over half (55 percent) indicated that they were currently in segregation and almost all others had once been in segregation. On average, respondents reported that they spent 2.6 years in segregation and 47.7 percent reported that they had been in segregation three or more times during their current prison stay. The majority reported that their segregation was administrative (68.2 percent) or disciplinary (66.2 percent) and the majority were in maximum custody (47 percent). Twenty-nine percent of respondents indicated they had some type of disability. Of those who did indicate a disability, 27 percent did not specify a type of disability, 21 percent specified a type of mental health disability, 12 percent indicated they had a mental health disability but did not specify what type, one individual indicated a neurological disability (epilepsy), almost 30 percent indicated a physical disability, and 8.5 percent indicated that they had both a physical and mental disability Details: Las Vegas: ACLU of Nevada, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2017 at: https://www.aclunv.org/sites/default/files/aclunv_unlocking_solitary_confinement_report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.aclunv.org/sites/default/files/aclunv_unlocking_solitary_confinement_report.pdf Shelf Number: 145778 Keywords: DisabilityIsolationRestrictive HousingSolitary Confinement |
Author: Dowse, Leanne Title: People with Complex Needs who are the Victims of Crime: Building evidence for responsive support Summary: This project aimed to provide a detailed description of the nature and experience of crime victimisation for an identified group of people with complex needs in NSW, including those who have intellectual disability and mental health disorders and other co-occurring experiences of social disadvantage and who have been in the criminal justice system as offenders. Through interview and consultation with key organisations delivering services or representing the interests of this group, the project has also explored the current context of service delivery in NSW, identified key current challenges in providing responsive, appropriate and adequate support to this group and identified current gaps and innovative or best practice where it currently exists. The report provides context and background to the issue and draws on an already assembled unique source of linked data obtained from routine data collections from a range of service organisations in NSW on a cohort of 2731 people who have complex needs and who have been incarcerated in NSW. The People with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities (MHDCD) in the Criminal Justice System dataset www.mhdcd.unsw.edu.au allows both quantitative and qualitative descriptions of victimisation pathways and experiences. Outcomes of the analysis of the MHDCD dataset are provided here in the form of descriptive statistical analysis of the cohort as a whole, supported by selected case studies, which allow detailed illustration and nuanced observation of the ‘lived experience’ of victimisation for this group. Consultation and interviews were conducted with 21 individuals from organisations identified through an environmental scan as key stakeholders in providing services to this group or representing their interests in policy and practice. Key findings emerging from the descriptive statistical analysis suggest that victimisation is very common in the lives of people with complex needs who offend. The majority of the cohort (85%) has experienced at least one instance of being a victim and over half (65%) have been the victim of violent crime. Victimisation is more common among women, and those reporting a prior history of homelessness, those with a history of alcohol and drug use problems, intellectual disability, a mental health condition, an acquired brain injury and a history of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. Analysis of violent victimisation identifies higher incidence for women, Aboriginal Australians, those with a history of homelessness and those who had experienced custody as a juvenile. Aboriginal Australians on average experience their first victimisation at a younger age than non-Aboriginal people. Analysis suggests that whilst the presence of any disability diagnosis is associated with high rates of victimisation, increasing levels of health complexity and need are associated with an increased risk of violent victimisation (54.6% of those with one diagnosis had been violently victimised compared to 71.8% of those with two diagnoses and 80.6% of those with three diagnoses, p<0.01). This indicates that it is not simply the presence of a disability that increases vulnerability to victimisation, but rather the interaction of multiple and compounding disability and social disadvantage operates to increase vulnerability to violence. Interestingly it was found that this pattern is reversed in relation to non-violent victimisation experiences, so that while having greater complexity in diagnoses makes individuals more likely to be a victim of violence, it appears to proportionally decrease the likelihood of non-violent victimisation. Analysis of service interactions for the cohort indicate that those who have received disability services at some point in their lives, those who have received Legal Aid, and are clients of Housing NSW experience higher levels of violent victimisation as compared to non-violent crime. Clients of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, and of its Community Justice Program, have particularly high rates of personal victimisation indicating that these services face challenges in dealing with their clients’ disability needs when they clearly occur in the context of a more complex life world characterised by high vulnerability to victimisation. Legal Aid clients similarly experience a disproportionately high incidence of victimisation, particularly of a violent nature, as do those who have tenancies with Housing NSW. Case study analysis illustrates the simultaneous and multiple processes of marginalisation experienced by people with complex needs. These can be seen to both create the context for their vulnerability to victimisation and to result in system and service responses which are limited, inadequate and often criminalising in and of themselves, such as the consequences of victimisation in out of home care settings. The significant impact of early victimisation experiences, especially sexual abuse and assault, can be seen in the life trajectories of the individual case studies presented. The impact of unstable early life and childhood experience of victimisation can be seen in the later teenage and early adult years of individual lives manifesting as vulnerabilities to their both experiencing and perpetrating further forms of violence, in particular in their adult domestic contexts. Also clearly illustrated is the vulnerability to harassment and victimisation associated with having a cognitive impairment where individuals are both subject to victimisation directly related to their disability and less able to respond in ways that do not escalate their victimisation. Similarly, the presence of cognitive impairment appears to lessen the chances lessen the chances of recognition, reporting and adequate redress such as reports not being taken seriously, appropriate support for disclosure not being available and the risks associated with disclosing victimisation within a care relationship on which an individual may be dependent. Key representative and service provider organisations identified through an initial environmental scan were approached for interview. The 21 individuals interviewed identified a range of significant issues which are currently seen to impact on policy and services for this group. Barriers to the provision of responsive and appropriate services for this group were identified by informants to include issues around a general lack of capacity of mainstream support services to cater to the needs of this group, poor communication and awareness of services that are available, low levels of identification and engagement of people with complex needs in services generally, restricted availability and accessibility of services and the reluctance of people with complex needs to engage who generally have had poor experiences with services in the past. Enablers for better responses were identified as service flexibility and accessibility, proactive and outreach service models which are skilled in the recognition, identification and assessment of victimisation and its impacts on those with complex needs. Key principles underpinning best practice in the area were identified as including inclusive and universal communication strategies for engaging individuals in services, a trauma informed care approach which is holistic, person-centred and premised on relationship and trust building as a foundation for addressing more complex issues of vulnerability to victimisation. Enhanced capacity in both specialist and mainstream provision would be enabled by the development of training and awareness of the connections between complex needs, offending and victimisation. An approach which is informed by a human rights framework which is community based and which premises prevention and early intervention was identified as foundational to enhancing capacity to provide responsive and appropriate support for those with complex needs who have or at are risk of being the victim of crime. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2015. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2017 at: http://www.victimsclearinghouse.nsw.gov.au/Documents/People_with_Complex_Needs_and_Crime_Victimsation_Final_Report_Jan_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.victimsclearinghouse.nsw.gov.au/Documents/People_with_Complex_Needs_and_Crime_Victimsation_Final_Report_Jan_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 141222 Keywords: DisabilityVictim ServicesVictimizationVictims of CrimeVulnerable PeoplesVulnerable Victims |
Author: Williams, Huw Title: Young People with Traumatic Brain Injury in Custody: An evaluation of a Linkworker Service for Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Disabilities Trust Summary: There is growing evidence that young people (YP) within the youth justice system have high levels of 'needs' with regard to health, education and social and emotional well-being. Studies consistently indicate high levels of mental health needs and neurodevelopmental disorders amongst young offenders including Traumatic Brain Injury - TBI. These needs are often unmet due to a lack of appropriate screening and identification, limited access to evidence based interventions and poor continuity of care. This is particularly apparent amongst YP in custody. The initial aims of this project were to establish whether it was possible to: 1. Identify young adults with a brain injury who enter custody 2. Develop a care pathway and provide dedicated supportto YP with a brain injury 3. Raise awareness of brain injury within a Young Offender Institution From these aims a 'Linkworker' (LW) service for YP was developed by The Disabilities Trust Foundation. This report describes that service and documents a preliminary service evaluation. In summary, it was possible to set the service up, evolve it in a dynamic and changing environment, so that it appears to fit the needs of the young person across a wider spectrum of ages. It also appears that it is, with appropriate staffing, feasible to screen for TBI in the population and this may contribute to increased awareness of such issues in a young person's care and management. In conducting this service evaluation it was not possible to collect data that would show whether there was a change in the trajectory (health, well-being and crime) of YP through LW involvement). However, service level data was available on a sample of YP and in this context it is possible to note the following: - The LW service was designed, delivered and deployed within what would be expected for a neurorehabilitation and forensic rehabilitation and forensic rehabilitation service 'hybrid' - Referrals were made to the service and it was supporting YP who had relevant TBI (in terms of severity and neuropsychological impairments) - Such TBI would be expected to interfere with traditional forensic rehabilitation (FR) - The young person had significant criminal histories and mental health problems - Additional input in a range of areas could well have improved outcomes for the young person in terms of mental health, well-being and criminogenic needs Therefore, the service would appear to be meeting the key aims defined at inception. From the feedback, it appears that the service was acceptable to, and valued, by YP and staff. It is important to emphasise that the YP had complex conditions because TBI is a 'keystone' condition within a constellation of challenges (drug and alcohol, mood disorder, lack of familial coherence (care home etc.), lack of education and work skills and/or experience). This evaluation highlights the need for appropriate key-working for such a vulnerable group. We would therefore recommend further adoption of linkworker type services within custodial settings and the need to be embed them within larger multi-site studies. Such services could provide a vital link across staff teams working with individuals with TBI and effect change. A linkworker may enable the identification of an underlying TBI, which allows for services to be deployed that are responsive to specific needs and learning styles in order to successfully engage with the young person. This is essential in order to develop support plans and to allow resources to be used cost-effectively, rather than attempting to engage YP in generic interventions which may not take into account their specific profile of needs. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2016. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2017 at: https://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Disability_Trust_linkworker_2016Lores.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Disability_Trust_linkworker_2016Lores.pdf Shelf Number: 144722 Keywords: Brain InjuryDisabilityJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersNeurological Disorders |