Neurodivergent Children and Violent Extremism: Criminal Justice Understandings and Responses
Gina Vale and Craig Webber The landscape of youth involvement in violent extremism is increasingly complex, with recent findings highlighting a contentious yet compelling intersection with neurodivergence.[1] The recent Shawcross Review on the UK Prevent Strategy found that ‘a significant number’ of cases referred to the Channel programme for deradicalisation intervention involved ‘complex needs [including]…
Police Interviewers’ Perspectives on Facilitating the Police Caution During a Suspect Interview
Louise Parker, PhD candidate, Dr Clea Wright, Senior Psychology Lecturer, Dr Michelle Mattison, Associate Professor of Psychology; University of Chester Introduction In England and Wales, it is a statutory requirement that the police caution is delivered upon arrest, at interview and if the suspect is charged with a criminal offence. The function of the caution…
Early findings from the ‘Female Offending Caused by Coercive Control’ Project
Professor Vanessa Bettinson (Northumbria University), Dr Lucy Baldwin (Durham University), Melanie Kay McLaughlan (Northumbria University), Lara Coban, Zoe Deith, Kelly Gleeson, Paula Harriott, Louise Williams, Rosie X Introduction The ‘Female Offending Caused by Coercive Control’ Project was undertaken in recognition of growing awareness that women are being criminalised without sufficient, and in some cases, any…
Police Voluntary Interviews with Children in Wales: evaluating the use of Voluntary Interviews under a Child-First youth justice model
Akrivi-Marina Roumpou, Aberystwyth University, PGR student The Voluntary Interview: Policy & Practice in England & Wales The Voluntary Interview (VI) conducted by police in England & Wales (E&W) is a formal method of interviewing for somebody who is not under arrest but still a potential suspect for a criminal offence (College of Policing, 2022). The…
Supporting Professionals in Identifying and Addressing the Needs of Accused Neurodivergent Individuals in the Criminal Justice System
Hanna Lahtinen (University of Eastern Finland), Sanna Kara, Katri Friman, Minna Tuusa (Autism Foundation, Finland). IntroductionThis blog provides an overview of a practical project conducted in Finland between 2018 – 2020 that developed and evaluated the efficacy of support mechanisms to help professionals across the criminal process identify and address the needs of neurodivergent individuals…
Injustice for High Profile Vulnerable Defendants in New Zealand – Examining The Cases of Alfred Vincent and Teina Pora
Dr Jordan Anderson, Lecturer in Criminology at Swansea University; Adjunct Research Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) This blog explores two case studies of the experiences of vulnerable defendants in New Zealand – the cases of Alfred Vincent and Teina Pora. Both cases are examples of vulnerable individuals who have experienced high-profile injustices…
From Exclusion to Inclusion: The Importance of Identifying Communication Needs in Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Vanessa Lloyd, NHS Children’s Speech & Language Therapist. Vanessa is a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) working in Children’s Therapies, part of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. Vanessa provides a SALT role as part of the Department for Education’s Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce in a secondary Pupil Referral Unit and with the local authority…
“I can’t do this”: why it is almost impossible for a vulnerable accused person to have a fair trial without support
Tony Bowman, Social Worker with the SOLD network, ARC Scotland Introduction Vulnerability means different things to different people, but in the context of our work a vulnerable accused person is one whose ability to understand and communicate is impaired due to a cognitive or neurological reason. The key factors are: There is nothing new in…
When Protection Becomes Persecution: Vulnerable Minors in Post-Prohibition Bihar, India
Manu Sakshi, Independent Researcher, Bihar, India Introduction Policy interventions, while well-intentioned, can result in unintended consequences, with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. In the context of alcohol prohibition in Bihar, this study explores the experiences of minors struggling with substance abuse within the criminal justice system by examining the causes and consequences of the massive…
The Troublesome Concept of ‘Vulnerability’ for Indigenous Accused in Australia: Reflections from the South Australian Law Reform Institute
David Plater, Deputy Director, South Australian Law Reform Institute and Associate Professor, Adelaide Law School, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Tasmania, David.Plater@adelaide.edu.au; Emily Conroy, SALRI Researcher, emilyconroy3@gmail.com; Katelin Lawrie, SALRI Researcher, Katelin.Lawrie@adelaide.edu.au; Brooke Washusen, SALRI Researcher and PhD Candidate, Brooke.Washusen@adelaide.edu.au. Introduction ‘As an Arrernte woman, I don’t see my people as “vulnerable”. My people have…
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Defending Vulnerability 