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Steps towards justice for people with learning disabilities as victims of crime: the important role of the police
- Author:
- SHARP Hannah
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(3), September 2001, pp.88-92.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
During 1999, Mencap, Values Into Action and Enable jointly conducted the first UK- wide inquiry into the harassment, victimization and bullying of people with learning disabilities (LDs). Since the UK inquiry, the project has examined the developmental work required by the police to respond adequately to the reports which they receive from people with LDs who may be victims. This article outlines: the key findings of the Mencap inquiry; some of the difficulties experienced by people with LDs in reporting possible crimes to the police; and the recent changes in policy and law which have the potential to improve radically how people with LDs experience contact with the police and thereby improve their access to the criminal justice system.
Acting as an appropriate adult for suspects with learning difficulties
- Author:
- HARKIN Emma
- Publisher:
- University of East Anglia
- Publication year:
- 1997
- Pagination:
- 42p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Norwich
Research study assessing the effectiveness of the law on appropriate adults (code C of the Codes of Practice of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) relating to people with learning difficulties. Looks at the roles and responsibilities of the appropriate adult and examines the assessment process of the police to establish whether an appropriate adult is needed or not.
Relationship between prior legal involvement and current crisis for adults with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- LUNSKY Yona, RAINA Poonam, JONES Jessica
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(2), June 2012, pp.163-168.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical profile of individuals with intellectual disability and a history of legal involvement, and to determine whether legal history predicted physical aggression. It focused in particular on individuals who had experienced crisis (defined for this study as an acute disturbance of thought, mood, behaviour or social relationship requiring immediate attention as defined by the individual, family or community). Information about adults with intellectual disability who had experienced crisis was gathered through health staff in service agencies in Ontario, Canada, and the study compared 130 participants with a history of legal involvement with 617 without legal involvement. Overall it found that those with a known history of legal involvement were younger, higher functioning and more likely to be male and living in unsupported settings. Individuals with legal issues were also more likely to have experienced multiple negative life events. The article reports that although those with legal involvement were no more likely to present with physical aggression than others, their crisis outcome differed, with legal history predicting police involvement in response to crisis.
A crisis of justice
- Author:
- WALLIS Louise
- Journal article citation:
- Community Living, 23(3), Spring 2010, pp.10-11.
- Publisher:
- Hexagon Publishing
This article describes how the damning verdict of the inquest into the deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her disabled daughter Frankie caused a national scandal. The jury delivered a verdict of suicide on Fiona Pilkington, 38, and unlawful killing for her 18 year old daughter, whose body was found in a blazing car in a layby in October 2007. The jury decided that the police action contributed to the deaths, notably the failure of officers to connect dozens of separate calls for assistance. The article outlines the points raised by the author at a Westminster Briefing, called to discuss how such a crisis of justice could be overcome. It concludes that people with learning difficulties have become so accustomed to hate crime that they are failing to recognise it themselves.
Barriers to justice: a Mencap study into how the criminal justice system treats people with learning disabilities
- Author:
- MENCAP
- Publisher:
- Mencap
- Publication year:
- 1997
- Pagination:
- 12p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Report of a research study looking at how people with learning difficulties fare in the criminal justice system.
Preventing abuse through pre-employment checks: an international review
- Authors:
- MANTHORPE Jill, LIPMAN Valerie
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 17(6), 2015, pp.341-350.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to summarise the findings of a desk-based international review investigating the checking of staff and volunteers working with adults who are vulnerable or at risk (or similarly defined) receiving social care in their own homes, or in day centres or residential care. Design/methodology/approach: In England, as part of the government’s attempts to prevent harm to vulnerable people, employers must check if their staff or volunteers are barred from working with vulnerable adults in the health and care sectors or if they have a relevant criminal record. This review sought to explore practices elsewhere, with a view to informing policy and practice debates. The review was undertaken in winter 2014-2015. It mainly involved a search of internet-based material and databases. This was further informed by communications with experts and practitioners from different countries. Findings: The review found a variety of practices, ranging from no checks to substantial checks involving fingerprinting. Reasons for checks identified in different national contexts extend from efforts to stop fraudulent use of government subsidies to minimising the risk of harm to vulnerable adults, and more positively to enhance user and public trust in care providers. A small number of countries place particular emphasis on the rights of individuals to privacy and rehabilitation and this moral imperative overrides other policy goals. This review highlighted a lack of clarity in publicly available documents about the potentially multiple policy goals of different schemes and suggests that there may be advantages to clarifying the options available from other countries. Research limitations/implications: This review was confined to English language material and to material located through internet searching. Some material may not have been updated on internet sites. Originality/value: The details of the processes have not previously been collated to the best of the authors’ knowledge. (Publisher abstract)
Guidance on responding to people with mental ill health or learning disabilities
- Author:
- NATIONAL POLICING IMPROVEMENT AGENCY
- Publisher:
- National Policing Improvement Agency
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 208p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This guidance provides advice to help police respond more effectively to people who are experiencing mental ill health or who have a learning disability. The guidance is a comprehensive document, providing advice on needs that arise in either a criminal justice capacity (where the person is a victim, witness, suspect or offender) or in a health care capacity (where the police may be acting in support of others who are dealing with someone experiencing a mental health crisis). The separate sections of the guidance cover: general operational guidance; mental health principles; operational police responses to victims and witnesses; use of police powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005; operational police responses to suspects and offenders; and managing police responses. An aim of the guidance is to support more people with mental ill health being accommodated in health facilities rather than in police custody through better implementation of the Mental Health Act 1983. It also aims to provide an improved response to victims, witnesses, suspects and offenders leading to a reduction in repeat victimisation and offending, and increased reporting to the police of crimes against people with mental ill health or learning disabilities (including discrimination, victimisation and harassment).
Opening the gateways?: people with learning difficulties and partnership action against hate crime
- Author:
- PERRY Joanna
- Publisher:
- Values into Action
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 40p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Assesses the performance of statutory and non statutory partnerships in preventing and responding to crime and bullying against people with learning difficulties. Relevant law and policy are examined and examples of best practice are reviewed. It is argued that there needs to be a national police training module that specifically deals with people with learning difficulties to avoid and report hate crime
Appropriate adults and appropriate adult schemes: service user, provider and police perspectives
- Editor:
- LITTLECHILD Brian
- Publisher:
- Venture Press
- Publication year:
- 2001
- Pagination:
- 129p.bibliogs.
- Place of publication:
- Birmingham
Examines the provision and practice of appropriate adults who attend vulnerable groups, including juveniles, those with learning disabilities or mental health problems held in police custody. looks at the weakness of provision and practice and asks how might appropriate adult services be provided for vulnerable people in custody. The role, work and provision of appropriate adults is examined from perspectives of detainees, police and those working within and managing appropriate adult schemes.
Making things happen: first annual report of the Learning Disability Task Force, January 2003
- Author:
- LEARNING DISABILITY TASK FORCE
- Publisher:
- Learning Disability Task Force
- Publication year:
- 2003
- Pagination:
- 59p.
- Place of publication:
- London
First official report to the government of the Task Force sets out the history of its setting up, its membership, methods of working and recommendations for policy change. Topics investigated in 2000 included advocacy, children's services, the Care Standards Commission, learning disability boards, cuts in social care and health provisions for people with learning difficulties and the Mental Health Bill. Future projects include investigating services for people from ethnic communities, communication methods for people with learning difficulties, NHS user support, carers and police liaison.