Demographic, forensic and service involvement characteristics related to adults referred to a community-based learning disability forensic team pre- and post-COVID-19
| Date | 02 July 2024 |
| Pages | 31-43 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDOB-05-2023-0005 |
| Published date | 02 July 2024 |
| Author | Rebecca Mir,Niall Power |
Demographic, forensic and service
involvement characteristics related to
adults referred to a community-based
learning disability forensic team pre- and
post-COVID-19
Rebecca Mir and Niall Power
Abstract
Purpose –To ensure health,social and criminal justice services are suitedto the complex and dynamic
needs of people with learning/intellectual disabilities (LD) at risk of offending, it is important to
systematically analysethe needs and characteristics of this population.This study aimed to analyse the
patterns of referrals to a single community forensic LD service before and during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach –A structured audit was conducted on all referrals to the service (n¼37)
across a three-year period (May 2019 –end of July 2022).
Findings –The majority of the overall sample were male (36, 97%) and Caucasian (24, 65%) with a mean
age of 32.9 years and mild LD.The most prevalent current offending type was sexual offending (17, 44%),
whereas the most prevalent historical offending type was violence (17, 35%). The most common service/
function offered by the service was advice and consultation to other professionals and agencies (10, 19%).
The service user and forensic/legal characteristics measured did not differ significantly before and during
COVID-19.
Originality/value –To the best of the authors’knowledge, the project is the first to systematically analyse
and compare community forensic LD service referral patterns before and during the COVID-19
pandemic. This study also provides an example of how a structured audit tool can be used to benefit
individual servicesand the wider literature on assessing the needs andcharacteristics of adults with LD
who livein the community and are at risk of [re]offending.
Keywords Forensic, Learning [intellectual] disability, Community, Audit, Transforming care, NHS
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Background to community-based forensic learning/intellectual disabilities services
in England
In England over the past decade, health and social care services supporting people with
learning [intellectual] disabilities (LD) and/or Autism (hereafter “LD/Autism”)and their carers
have undergone colossal change. A powerful driver behind changing the way these
services are delivered has been the Transforming Care Programme published by NHS
England (Houlden, 2015). This programme was a response to significant and growing
concern that a proportion of children, young people and adults with LD/Autism who display
behaviour that challenges were spending substantial periods oftime in restrictive inpatient
Rebecca Mir is based at
the Counselling and
Psychology Department,
Derbyshire Community
Health Services NHS Trust,
Bakewell, UK.
Niall Power is based at the
Clinical and Applied
Psychology Department,
The University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, UK.
Received 6 May 2023
Revised 2 March 2024
Accepted 26 May 2024
Thank you to the Trust
Improvement, Innovation and
Effectiveness Team in
Derbyshire Community Health
Services NHS Foundation Trust
for your support with this
project –particularly
Cassandra Dye.
DOI 10.1108/JIDOB-05-2023-0005 VOL. 15NO. 3/4 2024, pp . 31-43, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8824 jJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR jPAGE 31
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