Finding the Pathways to Justice Together
I have been on a journey to find ways in which we, as a system, can better support those who have been a victim of crimes or may have engaged in criminal behavior. This means I am always on the lookout for resources. I recently came across The Arc’s initiative is called Pathways to Justice. This initiative is through The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD). It was formulated to help people improve access to the criminal justice system. There is a two-step process to this initiative.
In the first step, the NCCJD supports local communities to build a multi-disciplinary team. This team is called a Disability Response Team (DRT). The DRT is comprised of key people from the disability system and the criminal justice system. The groups work together to look at the barriers to justice for those with disabilities in their community.
In the second step, the NCCJD works with the local DRT to provide a full day training for local law enforcement, victim’s services, and legal professionals. The training covers working with people with intellectual disabilities. Content can include:
- how to identify someone with an intellectual disability
- how to effectively communicate
- what accommodations might be needed
This initiative may help the disability and criminal justice systems remove the silos and work together to address internal and external barriers. For more information, or to bring Pathways to Justice to your county, please visit https://thearc.org/our-initiatives/criminal-justice/pathway-justice/.
