intellectual and developmental disabilities

Join NCCJD as we delve into the topic of policing people with disabilities, with a focus on people of color and women with disabilities.

NCCJD provided a one-hour webinar for chapters of The Arc to hear about NCCJD updates, as well as policy and program updates related to the topic of people with I/DD in the criminal justice system.

NCCJD was requested to speak on the Silence Equals Violence Coalition webinar that had 32 people in attendance. NCCJD Director gave an introductory to NCCJD and it's Pathways to Justice training.

NCCJD created this subcommittee due to a growing number of information and referral calls about sex offender charges, but no where to refer people to. The committee quickly jumped from 5 to over 40 people on the subcommittee. NCCJD is looking for creative ways for the subcommittee members (made up of both families and professionals) to continue communicate on an ongoing basis, create and achieve mutual goals, and help other families in their same situation).

Join NCCJD as we explore the concept of competency for individuals with I/DD in the criminal justice system. Topics addressed will include the competency to stand trial process, the differences between competency and the insanity defense, importing death penalty standards for individuals with I/DD into competency determinations, competency evaluation wait times, and the impact that guardianship and supported decision making have on competency in criminal cases.

Mental health courts were created to divert offenders away from prison into long-term community based treatment. These courts rely on assessments, treatment plans and ongoing monitoring of behavior to address both the mental health needs of the offenders, as well as the safety needs of the community. But, are mental health courts appropriate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)? Can they do more harm than good? Join NCCJD as we explore these questions and hear from experts in the field about this under-recognized dilemma in the criminal justice system.

Due to a growing number of information and referral calls coming into NCCJD about sex offender issues, the Center created a subcommittee on the topic formed by parents of teens or adult children who have been charged with a sex offense or are on the sex offender registry. NCCJD is supporting the committee to organize on this issue and provides technical assistance in this effort. To date a total of 5 individuals have joined the subcommittee (June 2016).

NCCJD Director, Leigh Ann Davis, was invited to participate in a work group that planned and presented at AAIDD's National Goals in Research, Practice and Policy for People with I/DD within the "Access to Justice" topic group. The meeting's outcomes resulted in two publications - an Issue Brief as well as an AAIDD journal article co-authored by Ms. Davis.

NCCJD Criminal Justice Fellow Ashley Brompton and The Arc's staff attorney Shira Wakschlag attended the conference and provided NCCJD fliers and NCCJD's Tip Sheet for Attorneys. 87 in attendance.

Studies estimate 65-70% of youth involved with the juvenile justice system meet the requirements for a disability. However, juvenile justice systems often lack adequate strategies and processes to identify and serve these young people. This webinar provided an overview of the issues that youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience in the juvenile justice system. Participants unpacked how intellectual and developmental disabilities can affect behavior, how those behaviors are perceived, and how such perceptions can increase risk for system involvement.