Working with neurodivergent people in the criminal justice system

Context

Current years have seen elevated consideration to each Neurodiversity as a common idea and social concern, and particularly to the way in which wherein the CJS engages with people who’re neurodivergent. Curiosity (and to some extent, motion) on this space has been catalysed by an exponential improve in inter-disciplinary scholarship and coverage degree engagement, not least due to the landmark proof overview by the Legal Justice Joint Inspectorate in 2021.

Whereas usually used interchangeably, ‘Neurodiversity’ refers back to the pure variation within the neurodevelopmental profiles of the final inhabitants; that’s, the variations in varieties of human mind. In distinction, ‘Neurodivergence’ generally describes cognitive growth which varies or diverges from the standard, associated primarily to studying, consideration, social and sensory processing, and temper regulation variations. Neurodivergence contains (however will not be restricted to) Autism, Consideration Deficit and Hyperactivity Dysfunction (ADHD), Studying Disabilities, and Dyslexia, with varieties of neurodivergence usually overlapping and intersecting.

People drawn into the CJS – as suspects, defendants, victims or witnesses – typically face vital challenges because of the traumatic, advanced and specialised nature of felony proceedings. The inherent variations in how neurodivergent people interact with the world round them mixed with the, arguably, neurotypical bias of the CJS can create boundaries to honest and efficient felony proceedings. There’s a well-established concern that neurodivergent persons are each overrepresented inside and under-served by the CJS, experiencing poorer justice outcomes than their neurotypical counterparts.

This overview has been created by the Neurodivergence in Legal Justice Community (NICJN) – a bunch of researchers, practitioners and neighborhood members within the challenges confronted by neurodivergent people drawn into felony justice methods (each in England and Wales, and globally). The overview supplies a snapshot of a number of areas of the CJS, drawing on a variety of analysis literature and proof (together with the analysis of NICJN members of their respective fields, a number of of whom have very kindly contributed to this overview). Whereas the summaries are temporary, they provide key insights into particular subjects, complimented by beneficial additional studying. Equally, the community and the person part authors might be contacted for additional info.

Assets

Readers will in fact wish to deal with their very own areas of operation be that Youth Justice, policing or jail and probation, however maybe probably the most helpful part for many individuals would be the closing chapter by Tom Smith & Nicole Renehan which focuses on how organisations could make their service extra pleasant to neurodivergent individuals. 

Alongside higher consciousness and understanding (which this overview goals to supply, as a place to begin), professionals and organisations could make their follow and companies extra neurodivergent pleasant in a wide range of methods. Very helpfully, these are sometimes low or no price, sensible, and easy – but might be extremely efficient in addressing the varied points mentioned on this overview.

The authors present each common and extra particular options for felony justice professionals to extra successfully help and interact neurodivergent people. These options are underpinned by some actually useful assets obtainable on the click on of a hyperlink.

For people who find themselves curious about sharing and studying about good follow, receiving newsletters and listening to about occasions,  felony justice practitioners can simply be part of the NiCJN by way of this hyperlink.