Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System: Solutions through Collaboration

This book discusses the plight of individuals with low or marginal intelligence who become involved in the criminal justice system. They appear no different than anyone else but they are much different - more prone to being exploited and frequently manipulated to engage in uncharacteristic, illicit acts without fully understanding the implications. Their better judgment is overshadowed by their need to be accepted as normal and achieve a sense of belonging. These individuals are usually the first to be stopped and questioned by police and they are often arrested simply for being in the wrong place (or with the wrong people) at the wrong time. Without their disability recognized, police treat them as anyone else, not affording them special protections and accommodations as guaranteed by law. They often self-incriminate when being interrogated, or worse, confess to a crime they haven't even committed. And they do this without truly understanding their legal rights. The criminal justice system has been ill-prepared to handle the sudden inundation of challenging cases. These defendants are lost in a system they don't understand and one that certainly does not understand them, which partially explains the high conviction rate and frequent travesties of justice. The book discusses these problems but more importantly, it provides readers alternative solutions, diversion strategies that can be enacted at every point of encounter, preventing entry or further penetration into the "system." Building on years of firsthand experience, the author provides a useful guide for others working in the field, using many case illustrations, and specific steps to help communities develop a jail diversion program that is right for them