Identifying and responding to young people with cognitive disability and neurodiversity in Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand youth justice systems

Abstract

Many young people in the criminal justice systems of both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand will have cognitive disabilities and neurodiversity, and substantial challenges arise in efforts to provide services that will adequately meet their needs. This is despite the introduction of funding models based on an assessment of individual needs (rather than block funding to organisations). In this narrative scoping review, we argue that justice agencies will need to partner with specialist disability support services if they are to meet the needs of those in both custodial and community settings. This requires knowledge of the nature and prevalence of disability in the youth justice population, awareness of available service responses and the development of skills to engage young people in services and programmes that will support rehabilitation and community inclusion.

Key words:

• cognitive disability
• disability
• forensic disability
• intellectual disability
• National Disability Insurance Scheme
• neurodevelopmental disability
• prevalence
• young offenders
• youth justice

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contribution of Claire Spivokovsky to the earlier work on which this manuscript is in part based.

Notes

1 Note that the NDIS does not fund supports that it views can be more appropriately funded or supported through reasonable adjustment by the justice system, such as help with personal care, disability-related health supports and other medical supports (see https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/how-ndis-supports-work-menu/justice-system)

Additional information

Funding

This paper is informed by work originally funded by The Department of Justice and Community Safety (Victoria).