POLICE STATION SUPPORTS 24/7

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 13(1) “States Parties shall ensure effective access to justice for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others, including through the provision of procedural and age-appropriate accommodations, in order to facilitate their effective role as direct and indirect participants, including as witnesses, in all legal proceedings, including at investigative and other preliminary stages.”

CJSN CURRENTLY HAS OVER 100 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS ACROSS NSW

The CJSN believes  All people have the right to fair and equal treatment within the criminal justice system.  Support systems are needed to ensure that people with an intellectual disability are able to access their rights within the criminal justice system.

CJSN Volunteers Do Not advocate for the innocence of the person BUT Attempt to redress some of the disadvantage that intellectual disability creates in the criminal justice system

ISSUES IN RRR AREAS Few supports services available Centralised support services Eligibility Criteria Lack of public transport Distances travelled to supports Dual diagnosis and accessing relevant supports Lack of affordable and safe housing

HOUSING ISSUES People with intellectual disability in general are: Not considered able to pay rent regularly Not considered able to maintain the property Would be more likely to damage property

Distances travelled Time availability Someone to drive

There are few satisfactory diversion options available From 1990 – % of inmates identified as having an intellectual disability were re- imprisoned within 2 years of release, compared with 38% of total inmate population. (Department of Corrective Services, Recidivism and Other Statistics on a Population of Inmates with Intellectual Disability in NSW Correctional Centres )

Very few support units within correctional centers Access to solicitor is difficult unless via the telephone Distance means lack of family access AVL not user friendly for people with intellectual disability

Longer adjournments equate to: Longer periods of incarceration Bail conditions and court dates are forgotten Thinking matter has been resolved

Support Statistics Total support across 3 regions Court 440 Police 122 Indirect Court 93 Indirect Police 22 Total 677