Crime and victimisation in people with intellectual disability: a case linkage study

Abstract

BackgroundStudies have suggested that people with intellectual disability are disproportionately involved in crime both as perpetrators and victims.MethodA case linkage design used three Australian contact-level databases, from disability services, public mental health services and police records. Rates of contact, and official records of victimisation and criminal charges were compared to those in a community sample without intellectual disability.ResultsAlthough people with intellectual disability were significantly less likely to have an official record of victimisation and offending overall, their rates of violent and sexual victimisation and offending were significantly higher. The presence of comorbid mental illness considerably increased the likelihood of victimisation and offending; several sex differences were also noted.ConclusionsPeople with intellectual disability are at increased risk for both violent and sexual victimisation and offending. The presence of comorbid mental illness aggravates the risk of offending and victimisation. Future research should focus on a more nuanced exploration of the risks associated with intellectual disability and specific mental disorders and related indices of complexity.

Crime and victimization among people with intellectual disability with and without comorbid mental illness

“…However, these gender-based differences were not statistically significant, as indicated by the overlapping confidence intervals. Of note, the rates of crime reported for this sample, both for those with and without comorbid mental illness, were significantly higher than those reported among community comparisons sample of people without intellectual disability (Fodgen et al, 2016;Nixon et al, 2017), indicating a statistically significant association between being charged with a criminal offence and having an intellectual disability. While the reasons for this increased statistical likelihood are not able to be discerned from these data, the results add to the argument regarding the need for more focus on providing a greater range of cross-agency supports and interventions from health, disability and justice services that better meet the increased range and complexity of needs presented by those with dual disability who offend, both in institutions and community settings (Fazel et al, 2008;Simpson et al, 2001).…”

“…Glaser and Florio () highlighted the complex and ongoing needs of offenders who have a dual disability, commenting that the presence of a comorbid mental illness may contribute to “behaviours and difficulties that lead to offending by an intellectually disabled person.” This is supported by results of a study by Vanny, Levy, Greenberg, and Hayes () who reported that just under half of a sample of 60 individuals presenting to Magistrates Court, in New South Wales, Australia, with an intellectual disability also reported having a mental illness. Furthermore, two recent epidemiological studies from Australia have reported that people with an intellectual disability and a mental illness had an increased likelihood of being charged with criminal offences, compared to those with intellectual disability but no mental illness, and to people in the general community (Fodgen, Thomas, Daffern, & Ogloff, ; Nixon, Thomas, Daffern, & Ogloff, ). Based on the available research findings, suggesting the increased risks of perpetrating crime and the heightened rates of mental illness reported across studies, Simpson and colleagues (Simpson, Martin, & Green, ) suggested that people with dual disability who come into contact with the criminal justice system represent a “triply stigmatized” group, attracting the labels of “criminal,” “disabled” and “psychiatric,” and experience inequities in access to appropriate services, especially when cross‐agency responses are indicated.…”

“…The two recent Australian studies referred to above also compared crime victimization rates between people with an intellectual disability and people in the general community. Both studies reported that while people with an intellectual disability were statistically less likely overall to have an official record of crime victimization, their odds of being the victim of sexual and violent offences were significantly higher than people without intellectual disability in the general community (Fodgen et al, ; Nixon et al, ). Additionally, Fodgen and colleagues (2016) noted that females with intellectual disability were significantly more likely to have a history of violent victimization than males with intellectual disability.…”

Disabled in rural Victoria: Exploring the intersection of victimisation, disability and rurality on access to justice

“…These barriers are not unique to the experiences of victims. Indeed, there are numerous studies, including some of the reports named above, which describe in detail the barriers to justice for accused and offenders with cognitive impairment who are disproportionately represented in the justice system, including in prisons (Baldry, Dowse, & Clarence, 2012;Fogden, Thomas, Daffern & Ogloff, 2016;McSherry et al, 2017;Shepard, Ogloff, Paradies & Pfeifer, 2017).…”

Shared‐life communities for people with a learning disability: A review of the evidence

“…Loneliness, combined with the other disadvantages suffered by people with a learning disability, may account for the significantly higher rates of mental disorders among people with a learning disability than in the general population (Cooper, Smiley, Morrison, Williamson, & Allan, ; Verdonschot, de Witte, Reichrath, Buntinx, & Curfs, ). People with a learning disability are also at greater risk than the rest of the population of violent and sexual victimisation and offending, considerably increased when they also have a mental disorder (Fogden, Thomas, Daffern, & Ogloff, ; House of Lords House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights, ). Indeed, people with a learning disability express concern at their own vulnerability (Bond & Hurst, ; Gjermestad, Luteberget, Midjo, & Witsø, ).…”