Community services and people with intellectual disabilities who engage in anti-social or offending behaviour: referral rates, characteristics, and care pathways

What can social and environmental factors tell us about the risk of offending by people with intellectual disabilities?

“…While criminal justice system involvement may be inconsistent, research suggests that illegal activity by people with intellectual disabilities is reported more readily to community services for adults with intellectual disabilities. Thorough recent research has indicated that up to a quarter of those known to community services for adults with intellectual disabilities (McBrien, Hodgetts, & Gregory, 2003) are acknowledged by service practitioners to have engaged in illegal activity, while only around one third of those known to engage in such activity have had contact with the criminal justice system ; see also Wheeler et al, 2009). Research studies also suggest that, in relation to offenders with intellectual disabilities, criminal justice system involvement is not a reliable marker of the seriousness of illegal activities (Lyall et al, 1995;McBrien & Murphy, 2006).…”

Offending by People with Intellectual Disabilities in Community Settings: A Preliminary Examination of Contextual Factors

“…Wheeler et al . ). However, for reliable analysis of multiple variables to test the nuances of different theoretical perspectives, explore subgroups and assess the dimensions of associations between measures and any interaction effects, much larger samples, and hence more extensive multi‐site studies, are required.…”

“…Likewise, Wheeler et al . 's () sample of 237 individuals referred to fifteen multi‐disciplinary community services as a result of suspected or convicted offending found 43% lacked both employment and alternative structured daytime activity. Unfortunately, these studies have limitations in relation to contextual analysis; the qualitative interviews were retrospective and involved mostly detained offenders who no longer lived in the community; the quantitative studies collected data from health records which do not systematically convey social or environmental circumstances; none of these studies included a comparison group.…”

“…Similarly quantitative studies, such as that of O'Brien et al (2010), which examined the lives of 477 people with ID referred to UK specialist secure hospitals or forensic community services as a result of anti-social or criminal behaviour, reported 40% of the sample lacked both employment and alternative routine daytime activity and fewer than one person in five was found to have a 'significant personal relationship'. Likewise, Wheeler et al's (2009) sample of 237 individuals referred to fifteen multi-disciplinary community services as a result of suspected or convicted offending found 43% lacked both employment and alternative structured daytime activity. Unfortunately, these studies have limitations in relation to contextual analysis; the qualitative interviews were retrospective and involved mostly detained offenders who no longer lived in the community; the quantitative studies collected data from health records which do not systematically convey social or environmental circumstances; none of these studies included a comparison group.…”

Why Do Some People with Intellectual Disability Engage in Offending Behaviour and What Can We Do About It? Editorial

“…Wheeler et al . () reported on a sample of 237 cases with intellectual disability referred to community services for antisocial or offending behaviour. Those individuals with IQ less than 50 were far less likely to have criminal justice involvement than those in the higher IQ bands.…”