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Prisoners with learning disabilities and learning difficulties
- Author:
- TALBOT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Prison Service Journal, 195, May 2011, pp.29-35.
- Publisher:
- Her Majesty's Prison Service of England and Wales
It is generally recognised that between 5-10% of the adult offending population have learning disabilities. This article examines the importance of recognising such disabilities within the prison service. A prisoner’s ability to get on in prison is predicated on a number of factors, including the ability to understand what is expected of them and to be understood, and the ability to read and write. Results from learning disability screening tools, completed by prisoners as part of the interview process, show that over two-thirds experienced difficulties in verbal comprehension skills, including difficulties understanding certain words and in expressing themselves. The article highlights many of the findings from the Prison Reform Trust’s No One Knows programme, which concluded that the criminal justice system does not recognise or meet the particular needs of people with learning disabilities and difficulties. Consequently, criminal justice agencies, including prisons, are failing in their legal duty to promote disability equality and to eliminate discrimination.
Prisoners' voices: experiences of the criminal justice system by prisoners with learning disabilities
- Author:
- TALBOT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 15(3), July 2010, pp.33-41.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article is based on a UK-wide programme of work run by the Prison Reform Trust entitled No One Knows and, in particular, on interviews with prisoners conducted as part of the No One Knows programme. No One Knows aims to effect change by exploring and publicising the experiences of people with learning disabilities and learning difficulties who come into contact with the police and who subsequently enter the criminal justice system and the effect that their impairments have on their ability to cope with the criminal justice process. The research was undertaken in 2007 and involved 173 interviews in 14 prisons; 10 of which were in England and Wales and 4 in Scotland. Of these interviews 154 were conducted with prisoners identified by staff as having learning disabilities or difficulties, and 19 were conducted with comparison prisoners without learning disabilities or difficulties. Prisoners were asked about their experiences of the criminal justice system, including at the police station, in court and in prison, and about their aspirations for the future. The findings demonstrate the difficulties that the prisoners have with: reading and writing; understanding and being understood; prison rules and discipline; being scared and bullied; support with daily living; and depression and anxiety. The article concludes that, once in the criminal justice system, people with learning disabilities and difficulties struggle to cope. At worst this can affect their right to a fair hearing in court and, if they are sentenced to custody, may mean longer in prison.
No One Knows: identifying and supporting prisoners with learning difficulties and learning disabilities: the views of prison staff
- Author:
- TALBOT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, 2(1), March 2008, pp.50-53.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
No One Knows is a major initiative by the UK Prison Reform Trust which highlights the plight and predicament of prisoners with learning disabilities and of those with less severe degrees of learning difficulties. This article reports on early recommendations from their research which listened to the views of prison staff. The study cohort was taken from prisons in England and Wales.
The development of a screening tool for individuals with possible learning needs
- Author:
- CLULEY Emma
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 66(1), 2019, pp.141-142.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Learning disability is distinct from specific learning disabilities or learning difficulties that can refer to a variety of disorders that impact upon understanding, retention of information or verbal and non-verbal information, for example dyslexia. It is thought that between 20 and 30 per cent of the prison population have some form of learning difficulty that affects their ability to cope in the Criminal Justice System (CJS). This study considered the development of a screening tool to assist with identifying learning needs using information from the Offender Assessment System (OASys). The aim of the research was to help identify the extent of people with intelligence quotients (IQs) of less than 80 and those with learning difficulties who might struggle in prison or in serving a community sentence. The purpose was to assist with identifying individuals who might require further assessment or support. The sample included 2232 males who had been convicted of sexual offences and were serving a custodial sentence. The IQ information was obtained from the previous learning-based assessments that had been undertaken. Of the sample 20 per cent had an IQ of 79 or less; 80 percent had an IQ of 80 or more; 7.2 per cent had an IQ score of 69 or less. Mild disability is often viewed as an IQ of below 70. (Publisher abstract)
Prisoners' voices: experiences of the criminal justice system by prisoners with learning disabilities
- Author:
- BEAIL Nigel
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 15(3), July 2010, pp.42-45.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This paper comments on the article in this issue by Jenny Talbot which describes research on prisoners with learning difficulties and disorders. It discusses the very wide inclusion criteria used in Talbot’s article, which includes people who have a diagnosis of a learning disability and those who have other learning difficulties and disorders. Thus the paper includes people who have average intellectual functioning but with other conditions such as Asperger’s syndrome or learning disorders such as dyslexia. This paper describes how the prisoners with learning disabilities are struggling to cope, and concludes that the UK prisons are not recognising or meeting their needs. Of particular concern is that the participants went through the criminal justice system from being a suspect, through the Court and into prison without their disabilities being identified or supported. Thus the criminal justice agencies are failing in their legal duty to promote disability equality and to eliminate discrimination.
Women with learning disabilities who offend: what do we know?
- Author:
- HAYES Susan Carol
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(3), September 2007, pp.187-191.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper aims to summarise what is known about women with a learning disability who offend and indicate some directions for future research.
No one knows: offenders with learning difficulties and learning disabilities
- Author:
- TALBOT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Prison Service Journal, 171, May 2007, pp.28-34.
- Publisher:
- Her Majesty's Prison Service of England and Wales
No One Knows is a programme launched by the Prison Reform Trust which aims to effect change by exploring and publicising the experiences of people with learning difficulties and learning disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system. This article reports on their research into the views of prison staff on how prisoners with learning difficulties and disabilities were identified and supported. The article highlights prison staff recommendations for change.
The Bradley report five years on: an independent review of progress to date and priorities for further development
- Authors:
- DURCAN Graham, et al
- Publisher:
- Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 35
- Place of publication:
- London
This report examines progress made in the support offered to people with mental health problems and people with learning difficulties in the criminal justice system in the five years since the publication of the Bradley Report (DH, 2009a). It focuses on the impact of liaison and diversion interventions and argues that while clear evidence of benefits remains unavailable, there is sufficient evidence to justify further service development and research. And there is growing evidence of the importance of liaison and diversion for children and young people. The report reviews what has been achieved so far, and what remains to be done, under the major headings of the Bradley Report, including: prevention and early intervention; police custody; courts; prisons and resettlement; and partnership working. The five years since the Bradley Report was published have seen concerted action to improve support for people with mental health problems and those with learning difficulties in the criminal justice system. This report argues that this will need to be sustained for at least another five years to put the vision into practice nationwide. (Edited publisher abstract)