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Criminal justice system revamped with disability resource
The criminal justice system has been transformed with a new resource designed to assist people with a disability to navigate and be treated fairly by the court system.
Naomi Neilson
A critical online resource has been designed by RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) to help people with cognitive impairment and intellectual disabilities navigate the courts and receive fairer treatment by Victoria’s criminal justice system.
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CIJ associate director of research, innovation and reform Stan Winford said that although people with a disability are over-represented in the criminal justice system, they are rarely recognised or responded to appropriately and on the whole are under-supported.
“The primary focus of the Supporting Justice website is to help lawyers and professionals learn how to recognise the signs of disability in the first instance, gain an understanding of the criminal justice system experiences of people with a disability and offer appropriate needs-based support that will ultimately lead to fairer outcomes,” Mr Winford said.
People with cognitive impairment are “severely over-represented” in the criminal justice system with a study by Corrections Victoria finding that 42 per cent of male prisoners and 33 per cent of female prisoners having an acquired brain injury.
Victorian Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan said it was important that people with a disability get the support that they need at the right time, especially any person who may come into contact with the police, courts and the forensic scientists.
“We’re working hard to improve outcomes for people with disability interacting with the justice system and to strengthen our disability advocacy sector,” Mr Donnellan said.
