Law enforcement Policies on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

• In Event: Policy Panel: Health Justice Policy

Abstract

We conducted a comprehensive assessment on law enforcement policies for victims with IDD. We identify and detail what policies are already in place – if any – around accommodations for persons with IDD. Policies were drawn from all law enforcement agencies from Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and New Jersey. We rely on open-source information from these agencies’ websites given this would likely be the point of contact for victims seeking help. In total, we identified 1543 law enforcement agencies and 1,002 victim service agencies. Overall, few agencies have policies specifically for victims with IDD, inclusive of references to The American with Disabilities Act. The presence of policies on agency websites is also variable by state. As evidenced, websites and policies across law enforcement and victim service agencies are not accessible for survivors with IDD. Identification of the accessibility of websites, and the availability of policies on these websites, will generate knowledge on how to ensure survivors with IDD have meaningful access when seeking services, supports, or reporting a victimization.

Authors

• Brittany E. Hayes, University of Cincinnati

• Ráchael Powers, University of Cincinnati

• Cooper A. Maher, University of Cincinnati

• Jacquelyn Burckley, University of South Florida

• Leigh Ann McKingsley, The Arc