Intellectual, Developmental, and Physical Disabilities in U.S. Legal Settings: Perspectives from People with Relevant Experience

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Palimaru, Alina I.

Contributor:

Gittens, Allyson D.

Holliday, Stephanie Brooks

Language:

English

Other Title:

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

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2023

Summary:

One-quarter of adults in the United States live with some type of disability. Managing life with a disability requires complex support, and research shows that people with disabilities face greater barriers to medical, social, and other forms of assistance than people without disabilities. Challenges are compounded when people with disabilities interact with the civil or criminal legal system in any given role, including when they are suspected of a crime, facing criminal charges, incarcerated, or navigating the civil legal system. In this report, the authors explore the experiences of people with a variety of disabilities as these individuals navigate the civil and criminal legal systems in the United States. Drawing on firsthand experiences of professionals, practitioners, family members, and people with lived experience, the authors' findings highlight challenges with disability accommodations across legal system settings, as well as opportunities to investigate research and practice gaps. This report can be read as a stand-alone report but can also be used in conjunction with two related publications, which (1) document findings from an environmental scan and (2) outline recommendations for future research focused on this population.