Neurodiversity in the criminal justice system: government plan

The RCSLT urge the government to take forward the recommendations to deliver on their promise of improving support to neurodivergent people with speech, language and communication needs as first promised in the Sentencing White Paper published in 2020.

Research shows that over 60% of people within the criminal justice system have communication needs. The majority of these needs are undiagnosed and unmet as screening tools used across different stages of the criminal justice system do not identify them. This has left people without critical support to navigate what is a very complex system with its own rules, regimes and demands.

Whilst we welcome plans to raise awareness of neurodiversity across the criminal justice system, the RCSLT calls for greater consideration of speech, language and communication needs across every stage of the criminal justice system.

The RCSLT calls for:

• Screening – young people and adults should be screened for speech, language and communication needs when they come into contact with the criminal justice system.
• Access to speech and language therapy – every prison and neurodiversity pathway should have access to speech and language therapy to support the people who need it.
• Training: all staff should receive training to recognise and support people with communication needs. We recommend The Box “communication help for the justice system” training.

Background

In December 2020 the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Robert Buckland, commissioned an independent review of neurodiversity in the criminal justice system.

The review was focused on four themes: screening, adjustments to existing provision, tailored programmes and interventions, and staff training and support. The final report was published in 2021.