‘Getting into trouble’: A qualitative analysis of the onset of offending in the accounts of men with learning disabilities

In search of a family: The contribution of art psychotherapy to a collaborative approach with a man residing in a forensic learning disability setting

“…Isherwood, Burns, Naylor, and Read () found common factors in the histories of offenders with learning disabilities. In particular, when comparing offenders with learning disabilities, those who had committed sexual offences were more likely to have a history of problematic family and romantic relationships (Lindsay et al., ).…”

“…In fact, paid carers are often cited when people with learning disabilities are asked to name their friends (Schalock & Genung, 1993), and the median size of social networks of people with learning disabilities in residential care settings has been shown to be just two people (Robertson et al, 2001). Isherwood, Burns, Naylor, and Read (2007) found common factors in the histories of offenders with learning disabilities. In particular, when comparing offenders with learning disabilities, those who had committed sexual offences were more likely to have a history of problematic family and romantic relationships (Lindsay et al, 2004).…”

The ‘double‐bind of dependency’: early relationships in men with learning disabilities in secure settings

“…Although the belief that the presence of learning disabilities predisposes criminal behaviour is no longer widely held (Johnston 2005), there is quantitative evidence to suggest there are common factors in the histories of offenders with learning disabilities (Isherwood et al 2007). One of these factors relates to attachment style (Kenny et al 2001;Marshall 2006;Ward et al 1996).…”

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

“…The qualitative studies of Flynn & Bernard () and Isherwood et al . (), involving interviews with people with ID detained in secure hospitals as a result of alleged or convicted offending, suggest that offenders with ID may experience a range of negative circumstances while living in the community, including unemployment, broken romantic relationships, withdrawal, isolation, boredom, criminal peers and misuse of alcohol or drugs. Similarly quantitative studies, such as that of O'Brien et al .…”

“…Despite a dearth of contextually oriented research, there are studies with contextual components that suggest social and environmental factors are as important in the area of offenders with ID as in mainstream criminology. The qualitative studies of Flynn & Bernard (1999) and Isherwood et al (2007), involving interviews with people with ID detained in secure hospitals as a result of alleged or convicted offending, suggest that offenders with ID may experience a range of negative circumstances while living in the community, including unemployment, broken romantic relationships, withdrawal, isolation, boredom, criminal peers and misuse of alcohol or drugs. 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'.…”