Opening the Gateways? People with Learning Difficulties and Partnership Action against Hate Crime
| Date | 01 September 2003 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668203200300025 |
| Pages | 43-44 |
| Published date | 01 September 2003 |
| Author | Brian Williams |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
The Journal of Adult Protection Volume 5 Issue 3 • September 2003 © Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Limited 43
This short publication is both important and timely. In 40
pages, it summarises the law in England and Wales and in
Scotland in relation to hate crime as it affects all oppressed
groups, not only people with learning difficulties. It reviews
the police response to hate crimes against people with learning
difficulties and local authority policies, and finds both
seriously wanting.
As far as the law is concerned, the author makes a
compelling case for taking the Human Rights Act and the
disability discrimination legislation into account as well as the
more specific law on harassment. Drawing upon recent
research, she highlights good practice in one or two areas but
points to inconsistency and overall poor practice nationally.
The lessons of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry for a range of
oppressed groups have been generalised in a series of
documents drawn up by the Association of Chief Police
Officers, but police training has yet to reflect this.
Policy documents such as No Secrets and In Safe Hands
treat crimes against vulnerable people as ‘abuse’ rather than as
assault, theft, fraud, rape and indecent assault. This
encourages similar attitudes within professional discourse,
leading to such offences being dealt with ‘in-house’ by social
services departments and private care providers. Police
involvement in local vulnerable adult committees is
consequently patchy and inconsistent. In some cases, punitive
responses to victims, such as the use of guardianship, means
that ‘people are put at risk of being punished for being victims’
(p24).
The book concludes with a series of 10 recommendations,
ranging from legal reform to modifications to policies,
procedures and staff training. These are followed by
appendices listing sources of consultancy
, help and advice and
Opening the Gateways?
People with Learning
Difficulties and
Partnership Action
against Hate Crime
Joanna Perry
London: Values Into Action
(2002)
40pp
ISBN 0 903945 64 9
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