disabilities

NCCJD staff provided a session on effective interactions between law enforcement and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on crisis prevention.

Tips to Interact Effectively with Law Enforcement▲

Speakers Leigh Ann Davis and Jessica Oppenheim will explore skills needed to engage effectively with law enforcement officers, the criminal justice system, and other authority figures as a witness, victim, or offender. This webinar will provide practical tips for people with I/DD, families, and professionals on how to support people with I/DD to advocate for themselves and engage with authority figures effectively.

NCCJD presented at The Arc's NCE Summer Leadership Training event in Palm Springs, CA on July 18, 2016 with 47 attendees. NCCJD Director Leigh Ann Davis co-presented with Attorney and The Arc of New Jersey's Jessica Oppenheim on the topic of Pathways to Justice program and how to use Personalized Justice Planning as a way to divert non-violent people with disabilities away from the criminal justice system.

NCCJD was requested to present a 90 minute session on serving crime victims with I/DD. Information was provided about challenges, identifying people with I/DD and how victim agencies can work with disability agencies to provide better services to crime victims with disabilities. An overview of Pathways to Justice training was also provided.

ACLU contact NCCJD re: Although data on the exact numbers of individuals in prisons and jails is difficult to locate, estimates indicate that as many as 26% of state prisoners report possessing a hearing or visual impairment or physical disability. Furthermore, as the prison population ages, research indicates that the number of prisoners living with physical disabilities will increase significantly. These problems in the general prison population are magnified in isolation.

The Arc's CEO requested NCCJD to present at this annual conference for chapter executives, as well as at the Board meeting re: NCCJD activities and training.

NCCJD invited and participated in a private listening session with the White House concerning the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, criminal justice, and strategies for building improved trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This was an opportunity for White House officials and Task Force members to garner input and diverse perspectives on these critical issues, so we hope you can join us. NCCJD provide written recommendations as well.

NCCJD was requested to provide a keynote presentation at the California Forensic Forum.The Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) and Central Valley Regional Center were recently awarded a Mental Health Services Act grant. Its purpose is to examine concerns expressed by regional centers and other agencies about potential systemic issues from arrest to possible incarceration. Many of these individuals have a co-occurring mental health diagnosis in addition to their developmental disability. Substance use disorder is increasing among this population.

Yale Law contacted NCCJD to speak on a panel for this conference. This convening, sponsored by the Justice Collaboratory, explores how policing in the United States will and/or should be affected by the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the subsequent nationwide protests.NCCJD provided specific input about how disability plays a role and the need for officers to learn how to identify disabilities and how to communicate with such individuals.

We are having a briefing on police use of force in New York on April 20 and are looking for a disability advocate to testify on the issue as it relates to people with disabilities. Richard Davis, Lead facilitator of NCCJD's Pathways to Justice program, provided testimony written by NCCJD.