BarTalk December 2003
Volume 15, Number 6

“Developmental Disabilities and the Justice System”

Despite some positive changes in recent years, the justice system does not serve people with developmental disabilities well. In response to this concern, the Law Courts Education Society of B.C. (the “Society) has developed an educational program to provide justice system staff with the necessary knowledge, skill sets, and resources to understand and interact with people who have developmental disabilities. Developmental Disabilities and the Justice System: A Training Package enables police, lawyers, sheriffs, judges, court registry staff, probation officers and others to:

• Recognize the unique justice-related needs of people with developmental disabilities;

• Identify a person with a developmental disability; and

• Adapt their work routine to meet the needs of someone with a developmental disability.

To implement this unique education program across Canada, the Society is creating a national network of partners that includes justice system personnel, public legal education groups and developmental disability organizations. The Society will facilitate Train-the-Trainer workshops for partners to learn and plan how to deliver the program at local and regional levels.

Developing skills, knowledge and awareness within the justice system across Canada will help protect this vulnerable group of people who can easily become victimized and who are at risk to offend or re-offend.

The Training Package (a Facilitator’s Guide and six-part video) includes information such as:

• The terminology, criteria, diagnosis and identification of a developmental disability;

• Experiences of developmentally disabled victims and offenders in the criminal justice system; and

• Effective strategies for communicating and interacting with a developmentally disabled person.

For more information on the program, or to participate in a workshop call 604.775.0209 (e-mail info@lawcourtsed.ca).

This article was published in the December 2003 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.