Referral patterns for offenders with intellectual disability: a 20-year study

Abstract

Following deinstitutionalisation, people with intellectual disability living in the community have had access to ordinary, local services including criminal justice services. This study reports a 20-year review of 309 referrals to a community forensic intellectual disability service. There were significant increases across time periods in referrals from criminal justice services and significant decreases from community services. These results may reflect changes in society whereby the courts are becoming more comfortable with defendants with intellectual disability and services more willing to involve the police when there are incidents of offending behaviour.

Keywords:

• intellectual disability
• offenders
• community
• referral patterns

Additional information

Notes on contributors

William Lindsay

None of the authors has any financial interest in publication of this research.