Any correspondence should be directed to Yona Lunsky, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 501 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2B4, Canada (e-mail: [email protected]).

Search for more papers by this author

Poonam Raina,

Poonam Raina

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

Search for more papers by this author

Tamara Arenovich,

Tamara Arenovich

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

Search for more papers by this author

Jessica Jones,

Jessica Jones

Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada

Search for more papers by this author

Yona Lunsky,

Corresponding Author

Yona Lunsky

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

Correspondence

Any correspondence should be directed to Yona Lunsky, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 501 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2B4, Canada (e-mail: [email protected]).

Search for more papers by this author

First published: 08 August 2013

https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12039

Citations: 23

Share a link

Email
Wechat
Bluesky

Abstract

Background

Studies focusing on pathways in the criminal justice system for individuals with intellectual disability are limited in that they only study individuals once they are involved in the system and do not consider the pathways into it. The purpose of this study is to examine predisposing factors that lead to various outcomes for individuals with intellectual disability when police are called to respond to their behavioural crises.

Method

The current study examined the outcome of police response to 138 individuals with intellectual disability in crisis. Following police intervention, 15 individuals were arrested, 76 were taken to the emergency department and 47 received on-scene resolution. Comparisons between the three groups were conducted.

Results

The three groups differed in terms of residence at the time of crisis, history of forensic involvement and type of crisis. Police intervention with adults with intellectual disability can happen for different reasons. Both individual and situational predictors explained this outcome.

References

Allen M. H., Forster P., Zealberg J. & Currier G. (2002) A review of the literature. Report and recommendations regarding psychiatric emergency and crisis services: A review of model program descriptions. American Psychiatric Association. Available at: http://emergencypsychiatry.org/data/tfr200201.pdf. (accessed on 11 February 2013)
Google Scholar
Fazel S., Xenitidis K. & Powell J. (2008) The prevalence of intellectual disabilities among 12000 prisoners – A systematic review. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 31, 369–373.
10.1016/j.ijlp.2008.06.001
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
Hayes S. C. (2002) Early intervention of early incarceration? Using a screening test for intellectual disability in the criminal justice system. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 15, 120–128.
10.1046/j.1468-3148.2002.00113.x
Web of Science® Google Scholar
Hayes S., Shackell P., Mottram P. & Lancaster R. (2007) The prevalence of intellectual disability in a major UK prison. British Journal of Learning Disabilities 35, 162–167.
10.1111/j.1468-3156.2007.00461.x
Google Scholar
Holland T., Clare I. C. H. & Mukhopadhyay T. (2002) Prevalence of ‘criminal offending’ by men and women with intellectual disability and the characteristics of ‘offenders’: implications for research and service development. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 46, 6–20.
10.1046/j.1365-2788.2002.00001.x
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
Jones J. (2007) Persons with intellectual disabilities in the criminal justice system: Review of issues. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 51, 723–732.
10.1177/0306624X07299343
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
Lindsay W. R. (2002) Integration of recent reviews on offenders with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 15, 111–119.
10.1046/j.1468-3148.2002.00112.x
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
Lindsay W. R., Holland T., Wheeler J. R., Carson D., O'Brien G., Taylor J. L., Steptoe L., Middleton C., Price K., Johnston S. & Young S. J. (2010a) Pathways through services for offenders with intellectual disability: a one- and two-year follow-up study. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 3, 250–262.
10.1352/1944-7558-115.3.250
Web of Science® Google Scholar
Lindsay W. R., O'Brien G., Carson D., Holland A. J., Taylor J. L., Wheeler J. R., Middleton C., Price K., Steptoe L. & Johnston S. (2010b) Pathways into services for offenders with intellectual disabilities: childhood experiences, diagnostic information, and offense variables. Criminal Justice and Behavior 37, 678–694.
10.1177/0093854810363725
Web of Science® Google Scholar
Lunsky Y., Garcin N., Morin D., Cobigo V. & Bradley E. (2007) Mental health services for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Canada: findings from a National Survey. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Special Issue on Dual Diagnosis 20, 439–447.
10.1111/j.1468-3148.2007.00384.x
Web of Science® Google Scholar
McNulty C., Kissi-Deborah R. & Newsom-Davies I. (1995) Police involvement with clients having an intellectual disabilities: a pilot study in South London. Mental Handicap Research 8, 129–136.
10.1111/j.1468-3148.1995.tb00150.x
Web of Science® Google Scholar
Murphy G. & Clare I. C. H. (1998) People with learning disabilities as offenders of alleged offenders in the UK criminal justice system. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 91, 178–182.
10.1177/014107689809100402
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
SPSS Inc. (2006) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. 15.0.
Google Scholar

Citing Literature

Volume26, Issue5

Special Issue:Pathways, Assessment and Treatment of Offenders with Intellectual Disability

September 2013

Pages 404-409

Pathways into the Criminal Justice System for Individuals with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

References

Citing Literature

References

Information

About Wiley Online Library

Help & Support

Opportunities

Connect with Wiley

Pathways into the Criminal Justice System for Individuals with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

References

Citing Literature

References

Related

Information