The Importance of Talking About Sex: The Elephant in the Room

/in , , , , , , , /by The Arc

Sexuality is a natural part life for all people. However, people with developmental disabilities, family members, and professionals often feel unprepared to discuss this subject with each other. Presenters discuss common misperceptions and myths people have about people with I/DD and sexuality; what a healthy, relationship looks like and how you can help support people to have healthy relationships; and how to prevent abusive relationships or leave bad relationships. Our presenters also discuss ways you can start discussing this subject with people with disabilities in your life.

Paid Family and Medical Leave: The Disability Angle

/in /by The Arc

People across the United States are talking about the need for paid family and medical leave. New research by The Arc and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality highlights how access to paid leave can promote economic security and stability for people with disabilities and their families. Learn more about this important issue and how people with disabilities and their families can get involved in supporting paid leave!

Presenters:

Lauren Agoratus, State Coordinator, Family Voices New Jersey
Kali Grant, Senior Policy Associate, Economic Security & Opportunity Initiative, Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality
Erika Hagensen, Disability Policy and Advocacy Consultant, The Arc of North Carolina and North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities
T.J. Sutcliffe, Director of Income & Housing Policy, The Arc

Policing & People with Disabilities Webinar Series: A Call for Procedural Justice

/in , , , , /by The Arc

Join NCCJD as we delve further into the topic of policing and people with disabilities, with a focus on procedural justice as a potential solution. This is our final webinar in the 2017 Policing & People with Disabilities series that educates law enforcement and others about the various intersections that play into discrimination and violence toward people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) within the criminal justice system and how we can address the issue by examining innovative programs and potential solutions from around the country. Topics addressed on this webinar include an explanation of procedural justice, an overview of the history and current efficacy of procedural justice principles, examples of how procedural justice can impact policing practices with the disability community, the leadership philosophy that needs to be in place to encourage the use of such practices, and an interactive discussion in which panelists apply the four tenets of procedural justice to realistic use of force scenarios.

Panelists:
Lt. Leo Daniels, Arlington Police Department
Chief Michael Davis, Northeastern Police Department
Lt. Tarrick McGuire, Arlington Police Department
Ariel Simms, The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice & Disability

Mental Health Courts and Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Criminal Justice Solution?

/in , , , , , , , , /by The Arc

Mental health courts were created to divert offenders away from prison into long-term community-based treatment. These courts rely on assessments, treatment plans and ongoing monitoring of behavior to address both the mental health needs of the offenders, as well as the safety needs of the community. But, are mental health courts appropriate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)? Can they do more harm than good? Join NCCJD as we explore these questions and hear from experts in the field about this under-recognized dilemma in the criminal justice system. NCCJD will discuss the results of a recent informal survey of mental health courts serving people with I/DD, followed by Ms. Baird who will provide a historical perspective of mental health courts, and define their role and purpose in the criminal justice system. Ms. Patton will discuss how the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Court specifically addresses the needs of individuals with I/DD and the benefits of serving these individuals. Mr. Stone will address the concerns of mental health courts and whether they are adequate to serve those with I/DD.

Panelists:

Jennifer Baird, Program Manager, Mental Health Court, St. Lucie County, Florida
Meghan Patton, Court Coordinator, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Court, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Adam Stone, Criminal Defense Attorney

Policing & People with Disabilities Webinar Series: Community-Based Strategies for Reform

/in , , , , , , /by The Arc

Join NCCJD as we delve further into the topic of policing and people with disabilities, with a focus on community-based solutions. This webinar is the second in our 2017 Policing & People with Disabilities series that educates law enforcement, other criminal justice professionals, people with disabilities, family members, and disability advocates about the various intersections that play into discrimination and violence toward people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) within the criminal justice system and how we can address the issue by examining innovative programs and potential solutions from around the country. Law enforcement personnel will also discuss how they are changing police culture from within to reform policing practices around disability. NCCJD will highlight its innovative Pathways to Justice® program, a community-based solution that aims to increase trust and understanding between the criminal justice and disability communities, as well as build the capacity of criminal justice professionals to respond to gaps in services for people with I/DD.

Panelists:
Ken Capone & Mat Rice, People on the Go
Travis Akins, Growth Through Opportunity
Nils Rosenbaum, Matthew Tinney, Caren Vendetti & Peter Winograd, Albuquerque Police Department
Leigh Ann Davis & Ariel Simms, The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability

Policing & People with Disabilities Webinar Series: The Intersection of Race, Disability, and Policing

/in , , , , , , , /by The Arc

Join NCCJD as we delve into the topic of policing people with disabilities, with a focus on people of color and women with disabilities. This webinar was the first in our 2017 Policing People with Disabilities series that educates law enforcement, other criminal justice professionals, people with disabilities, family members, and disability advocates about the various intersections that play into discrimination and violence toward people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) within the criminal justice system and how we can address the issue by examining innovative programs and potential solutions from around the country.

Panelists:

Lorrell Kilpatrick, Social Justice Advocate; Everybody Counts, North Indiana
Janine Jackson, Board Member, African American Policy Forum
Ronald Hampton, Advisory Board Member, National Police Accountability Project
David M. Perry, Disability Rights Journalist and History Professor at Dominican University

Competency of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System: A Call to Action for the Criminal Justice Community

/in , , , , , , /by The Arc

Join NCCJD as we explore the concept of competency for individuals with I/DD in the criminal justice system. Topics addressed will include the competency to stand trial process, the differences between competency and the insanity defense, importing death penalty standards for individuals with I/DD into competency determinations, competency evaluation wait times, and the impact that guardianship and supported decision making have on competency in criminal cases. Individuals familiar with I/DD will get an introduction to competency issues that people with I/DD may face while legal professionals will gain insight into the specific implications of I/DD within the conceptual framework of competency. The speakers for this webinar are authors of our new white paper, Competency of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System: A Call to Action for the Criminal Justice Community.

Panelists:
Robert Fleischner, Assistant Director, Center for Public Representation
Claudia Center, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Disability Rights Program
Robert Dinerstein, Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Experiential Education, Director of Disability Rights Law Clinic, American University Washington College of Law
Andrew Flood, Stanford Law School
Brooke Boutwell, Wake Forest University School of Law, NCCJD Intern
Hillary Frame, Wake Forest University School of Law, NCCJD Intern

The Attorney Client Relationship: Bridging the Gap Between Attorneys, Clients With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Their Families

/in , , , , , , /by The Arc

Join NCCJD as we help attorneys, clients and their families understand each other’s needs and obligations during a criminal case, and how they can work together to create a fair and complete attorney/client relationship to ensure the best representation possible for people with I/DD. This webinar will be helpful to attorneys and families alike, as well as other advocates. Mr. Gordo will speak about his son, Paul, who has autism and was charged with assault after experiencing sensory overload at a library. Hear how the Gordo family was able to work with their defense attorney to achieve a modest success and get the charges reduced from a major felony to a misdemeanor that resulted in unrestricted probation. Ms. Kelley will discuss the ethics of representing someone with I/DD in the criminal justice system as well as ways in which families can help attorneys achieve good outcomes. NCCJD’s Criminal Justice Fellow will discuss how the two worlds – clients/families and attorneys – can be brought together and how all parties involved can help each other reach their goals.

Panelists:

Steve Gordo, Parent Advocate
Elizabeth Kelley, Criminal Defense Attorney and Member of the Board of Directors, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Ashley Brompton, Criminal Justice Fellow, NCCJD

Transcript
Session Slides

Sex Offenders With Autism Spectrum Disorder

/in , , , , , , , , , /by The Arc

The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability® (NCCJD) published a white paper and hosted a webinar on sex offenders with I/DD, and noted an overwhelming need for this information nationwide. In response to the high demand for information, NCCJD brings you an addendum and accompanying webinar, specifically identifying the problems occurring as a result of autism spectrum disorder and lack of sexual education.

Transcript

Justice-Involved Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Call to Action for the Juvenile Justice Community

/in , , , , , , , , , /by The Arc

The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability® (NCCJD) notes the decline in juvenile crime and incarceration and accompanying rise in incarceration rates for youth with I/DD. NCCJD’s white paper and webinar on justice involved youth with I/DD highlights emerging issues and promising practices from across the country including:

  • Preventing involvement in the first place—strategies for parents and advocates
  • Exclusionary discipline in schools
  • The school-to-prison pipeline
  • Restraint and seclusion in schools
  • Special education in juvenile hall
  • The Arc of the Capital Area’s Juvenile Justice Services Program

The webinar features brief presentations from multiple white paper authors. Join us for this thought-provoking webinar and gain new insight on how to assist youth with I/DD who are at-risk for or already involved in the juvenile justice system.

Session Slides