Transcript Sussex Western Youth Panel meeting

London Wide
Health Network Agenda
Jenny Talbot
Prison Reform Trust
16 July 2012
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What I will cover:

PRT research,
No One Knows

People with learning
disabilities and
learning difficulties

Liaison and diversion
services.
.
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What is a learning disability?
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
The World Health Organisation defines learning
disability as a ‘reduced level of intellectual
functioning resulting in diminished ability to
adapt to the daily demands of a normal social
environment.’

An IQ of 50-69 is indicative of ‘mild mental
retardation’ or mild learning disability

Variations on this definition are followed by the
four UK administrations.
What does it mean to have a learning
disability?

People with learning disabilities frequently have
difficulties:
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Reading and writing
Telling the time
Understanding what is expected of them, certain
words and ordinary social cues
Making themselves understood and in expressing
themselves
Reading body language
Remembering things, such as new information,
sequences, and routines
Adapting to new situations.
Learning disabilities and learning
difficulties...

Specific learning difficulties:
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–

General learning difficulties:
–
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Used to describe a range of impairments (including
dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADD, ADHD), of which dyslexia is
the most common
Occurs regardless of intelligence levels
Often used to describe people with poor reading, writing
and comprehension abilities, and those who experience
difficulties learning, for example, due to a disrupted
education or lack of support.
How many people?
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
General population, around 2%

Adult offender population, between 5 – 10%

Juvenile (<18) offender population, 23% have an
IQ <70

Many more have difficulties with communication
(over 60% for juveniles) and low rates of literacy.
Finding out...

2006: No One Knows programme

First report in 2007, based on research involving
prison staff from over half of prisons in England and
Wales:
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Limited information on arrival into prison and limited
screening to identify learning disabilities
Gaps in provision; limited awareness of what support
is available or of referral procedures
Silo working
Limited awareness training for prison officers
Greater strategic and operational direction.
Experiences of prison staff:
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
They have difficulty understanding
information, difficulty integrating with peers,
and difficulty following the daily regime.

Some are seen as disruptive and are dealt
with in this way.

They are vulnerable, prone to bullying.

They are frightened to keep asking
questions.
Experiences of prison staff:
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
One prisoner with learning disabilities worked as
a support for the civilian grounds cleaner
because she offered excellent one-to-one
support.

Buddying is provided to encourage prisoners
with a low IQ to access education.

We have nothing to be proud of in relation to
prisoners with LD. We are struggling to meet the
needs of the ordinary population.
Experiences of prisoners with learning
disabilities and difficulties:
Prisoners Voices:
experiences of the
criminal justice system
by prisoners with learning
disabilities and difficulties
http://tinyurl.com/7o4ufp3
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Headlines:
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
Two-thirds of prisoners had difficulties reading prison
information, which rose to four-fifths for prisoners
with LDis

Three-quarters had difficulties filling in prison forms,
which rose to three-quarters for those with LDis

Two-thirds of prisoners experienced difficulties in
verbal comprehension skills

Just over half said they had difficulties making
themselves understood in prison, which rose to twothirds for those with LDis.
Experiences of prisoners with
learning disabilities:

Less likely than other prisoners to:
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have a job in prison
know when their parole or release date was
be in touch with family and friends
ask if they didn’t know what was happening
know what to do if they felt unwell
have participated in CBTPs.
Experiences of prisoners with
learning disabilities:

Almost three times as likely as prisoners
without LDis to experience clinically
significant depression and anxiety
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More likely to:
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spend time alone and have fewer things to do
feel frightened while in prison and to have been
victimised
be subject to control and restraint
have positive ideas about what might help.
What prisoners said:
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What would you do if you felt unwell?
–
I would have to get somebody to fill in the form, you
shouldn’t have to do that, you should just be able to go
down and just say so. You should be able to phone
them like on the outside.
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I would go to work because I would be too scared
about getting into trouble. That happens here. I daren't
not go to work.
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I see healthcare every two weeks; one, to have a good
chinwag and second to have my blood pressure
checked and my weight. I have a CPN nurse who I
can go to talk to as well.
What prisoners said:
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Being scared:
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I have been scared through bullying; I can hear
people planning things and talking about it... I am
scared in the shower, there are no cameras and
no officers so if you are going to get ‘done’, that’s
where it will happen. I have seen it happen.
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I hate seeing fights; I always run to my room and
lock the door.
What prisoners said:
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What might have helped in prison?
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There should be someone who has the time to
come over and find out what’s happening and talk
to us rather than just being put in a suicide cell.
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It would help if someone would help me make a
phone call and help me sort my sentence plan. I
am also having nightmares and waking up
frightened in the night.
What prisoners said:
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What might have helped in prison?
–
I would like someone to have a sit down and talk with,
to tell me what’s happening and how to do things.
–
I would like to do a one on one to help me read and
write. In my class I’m the lowest person there and they
are teaching things way above me. I don’t know where
I am going to or coming from.
–
There should be things for you to do, like activities, but
there’s nothing for you to do. There’s in-cell hobbies;
but you have to fill in a form for that too.
Knowing who has/might have a
learning disability in prison:
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
Limited information on entry into prison –
hopefully this will improve

Prison officers can be helped to recognise when
prisoners might have LD, especially following LD
awareness training and supported by clear and
effective referral routes

Information sharing: prison, healthcare and
education – information sharing protocols

Screening tool: Learning Disability Screening
Tool (LDSQ).
Liaison and diversion services:
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
Recognition at the point of arrest by the
custody sergeant
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Appropriate Adult
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Referral to L and D services
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Liaison with relevant services and support
during police and court proceedings; possible
diversion away from criminal justice.
Special measures in court:

Limited support for vulnerable defendants in
statute; must rely on discretion of the court and
of requirement for ‘reasonable adjustment’
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L and D services should:
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help to ensure effective participation in court
proceedings and right to a fair trial
Work with probation on pre-sentence reports
Help to inform appropriate community orders
See PRT briefing paper, Fair Access to Justice?
Resources:
http://tinyurl.com/4p
cwat4
http://tinyurl.com/cct
9d4
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Thank you
[email protected]
www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/nok
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