Responding to the abuse of people with learning disabilities: the role of the police

abstract

The abuse of race with learning disabilities is a significant puzzle The response of the police to abuse that is actually a criminal assault is paramount. This paper reports upon a qualitative study into the attitudes and opinions of police officers involved in abuse investigations. The aims were to understand more about the perceptions that police have about their part the contribution made by the police to the area and to identify advantageous practice where it occurs. Semi-structured interviews and focus assemblages were conducted with police officers regarding their experiences of involvement in vulnerable adult protection and views upon the role of the police. Findings are not absented according to key themes: arrangement for abuse work, joint investigator training, understanding the emergencys of people with learning disabilities, the legislative connected thought [i]or[/i] thoughts for abuse work and sharing advantageous practice and striving for a consistent replication Demand is growing for the police to rejoin to the abuse of tribe with learning disabilities in a way that is the couple appropriate and maximises the likelihood of victims receiving justice.

key words

abuse

adult protection

learning disabilities

vulnerable witnesses

police

court

Introduction

Abuse of tribe with learning disabilities

Certain clusters of people, categorised as 'vulnerable adults', are more likely to be victims of abuse. This abuse can take many forms and is variably defined, however, commonly cited stamps of abuse include physical, sexual, psychological, financial, material and leave out (National Assembly of Wales, 2000) clan with learning disabilities are classed as individual group of vulnerable adults and several inquiries into abuses of care have occurr in the UK spanning four decades (eg Buckinghamshire shire Council, 1998; DHSS, 1969; DHS 1978) The exact expanse of abuse is not known and under-reporting appears to be a significant vexed question (Sharp, 2001).

The reasons for under-reporting are numerous on the contrary include a fear of speaking on the outside a lack of confidence in the judicial a whole pressure to conform to a conspiracy of silence and anxiety about the treatment of a vulnerable somebody whilst undergoing an investigation (Chenoweth, 1996; Corin, 1984) Ensuring that abuse cases draw near to light and are appropriately dealt with should therefore be a pertain to to all parties, including police officers.

The character of the police

The first involvement that the police will have with a case of adult abuse is ofttimes when a staff member or bear uponed member of the public expresse touchs This may well be an informal petition for advice in the first instance. The first replication from that individual police officer is crucial in determining whether be of importance tos lead to an actual investigation taking place. Staff working within a service may perceive anxious at reporting the service or their colleagues (Pring, 2003) A negative experience with a police officer at the 'front-line' may be derived in the suspicions of staff not at any time being formalised into an official statement.

The investigation itself attitude s further challenges for the police given that it may be necessary to interview the two victims and witnesses who have learning disabilities. Many challenges are faced through the police when interviewing tribe with learning disabilities. Interrogative suggestibility, reliability of eyewitness testimony, confabulation and acquiescence have all been cited as particular issues with these witnesses (Brown & Geiselman, 1990; Clare & Gudjonsson 1993; Keilty & Connelly 2001) The challenges in responding to abuse are not unique to England and Wales. In a review of the situation in Australia, Carmody (1991) directs to people with learning disabilities who undergo from sexual abuse as being 'invisible victims' in the organ of sights of the police. A research of relevant police policies in Ireland proposes that the existence and contented of policies was so varied that the attitudes of individual police officers would inevitably influence operations (Bailey & Barr, 2000).

Achieving justice after abuse

Abuse of family with learning disabilities rarely arises in prosecutions and even more rarely in convictions (Joyce 2003) The reasons for what cause [i]or[/i] reason this is the case are composed of several elements but probably include a lack of understanding upon the part of the police about family with 'special needs' (Sanders, 1997)

Efforts have been made in more [i]or[/i] less quarters to both recognise and tackle the ne for police to work appropriately with family with learning disabilities. For example, Brown et al (1996) have produc a handbook for police officers interviewing race with learning disabilities after sexual abuse. Other attempts have been made to help educate clan with learning disabilities about the police and the criminal justice combination of parts to form a whole (Gyde et al, 1995; Hollins et al, 1998) level the legal system has made efforts to reform in order to improve justice for clan with disabilities. In 2002 the abiding-place Office guidance document Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings - Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses Including Children, was adopted by the agency of police forces across England and Wales. This commended a series of 'special measures' that could be used by dint of the police and courts to improve the number of cases reaching court, improve the quality of evidence provided by means of vulnerable witnesses and result in more convictions. For example, video interviewing and the use of protections in court that would have previously been restricted to child witnesses.