The Lord Chancellor has set out how the government plans to support people with neurodivergent conditions such as autism and dyslexia, as well as those with acute mental health problems, within the criminal justice system.
The mental health system reform plans aim to be less discriminatory towards black people and changes made to ensure that neither autism nor learning disabilities will be grounds for detention. The Lord Chancellor has said this needs to apply in prisons too.
Lord Chancellor, The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, said: “As a barrister, part-time circuit judge and now as Lord Chancellor, I’ve seen victims, witnesses, and defendants with these conditions struggle too often in our criminal justice system.
“Support for all victims of crime continues to improve at every stage of the justice system – with a further £40m investment announced in the Chancellor’s Spending Review. But for those who may need some extra guidance when navigating what can be a daunting web of courts, tribunals, probation and prison systems – we must go further.
“It might be that people with conditions like autism get lost in the complex processes and legal language that are difficult for them to understand. It can even be as simple as them needing more help to fill in forms to get accommodation when released from prison.”
The Lord Chancellor has commissioned a Call for Evidence and a review to find out how prevalent these issues are and put together a clearer picture of what support is already out there.
This review won’t just cover conditions such as autism and dyslexia but a whole host of learning difficulties and disabilities, as well as emotional and behavioural changes that are a result of brain injuries.
“The wider changes we are making to the Act will also help reduce stigmas and improve the care of people with mental health conditions, including those who end up in the criminal justice system. There are too many repeat low-level offenders with acute mental health problems, often started or made worse by drugs and alcohol, unable to get the medical help which would stop them committing crime.
“Prisons should be places where offenders are rightly punished for their crimes, not simply somewhere to send those whose biggest danger is their own mental health.
“Our reforms will ensure these vulnerable people get the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time while also allowing our hard-working prison officers to do the job they were employed to – dealing with criminals, not the mentally unwell.”
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Disability Discrimination, Digital Eye-Health, DSE / Text Accessibility & Inclusion
As, there have always been a disproportionate number of the 30% of age-diverse UK population in the secure estate who left secondary education either pre or post ’16’ “functionally illiterate”, including up to 50% of the 30% functionally illiterate falling into the Dyslexic / Neurodiverse spectrum’s or with preexisting visual impairments, “Accessibility” specifically “Access to Digital Text” is an educational / workplace RSI Disability issue….
Not only but also as, the Civil Service knows statistically 43,000 (10%) are Dyslexic and at a 4 to 7 fold increased risk of eye-strain as a percentage of the 58% of DSE operators also suffering eye-strain, CVS or Screen Fatigue “induced visual repetitive stress injuries” resulting in monocular 2D adaptations caused by over-exposure to the near or close-up working exacerbated by prolonged exposure to standard, out of the box, unmitigated inaccessible screen interface background or contrast to text (BSI ISO 30071.12 Colour Contrast Standards), just accepting free PPE screen glasses was never going to mitigate the risk of eye-strain, vision loss, presenteeism or 20% lost productivity.