Intellectual, Developmental, and Physical Disabilities in U.S. Legal Settings: A Scoping Review

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holliday, Stephanie Brooks

Contributor:

Gadwah-Meaden, Catria

Gittens, Allyson D.

Kroger, Jack

Matthews, Samantha

Palimaru, Alina I.

Scruggs, Andrew

Wolfe, Rebecca L.

Language:

English

Other Title:

Intellectual, Developmental, and Physical Disabilities in U.S. Legal Settings

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2023

Summary:

There is evidence that a significant proportion of individuals who come into contact with the legal system have a disability. In turn, individuals with disabilities may encounter a variety of issues once they are involved in the legal system. Research has the potential to play a critical role in better understanding the prevalence of disabilities in the legal system, the challenges that people with disabilities face when navigating the system, whether there are certain groups that are particularly vulnerable due to intersectional identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender), and the policies and programs that might effectively meet the needs of people with disabilities. This report presents the findings of a scoping review assessing the current state of literature related to individuals with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities who interact with the legal system, with the goal of developing priorities for future research related to these populations. It can be read as a stand-alone report but can also be used in conjunction with two related publications, which (1) document findings from qualitative interviews with representatives from relevant professions and communities and (2) outline recommendations for future research focused on this population.