The Developing World

Abstract

The presence of highly disadvantaged people with multiple mental and cognitive impairments and problematic alcohol and drug (AOD) use in criminal justice systems is not a new phenomenon. But international and national evidence points to increasing widespread overrepresentation of these individuals in police work, the courts, and juvenile and adult prisoner populations, as both victims and offenders. The rate of contact with police of people with what recently has been termed complex needs (Carney, 2006; Draine et al., 2002) has increased over the past two decades (Hayes, Shackell, Mottram, & Lancaster, 2007). We discuss the term complex needs further below, but here we note the specific vulnerability of individuals in this group to a range of harms, involvement in the criminal justice system, and social disadvantages. They are more likely than people with only one impairment or none to have earlier contact with police, be victims as well as offenders, be a client of juvenile justice, have more police contacts, have more police and prison custody episodes (Baldry, Dowse, & Clarence, 2012; Dowse, Baldry, & Snoyman,Introduction 219 Complex Needs 222 Involvement in the Criminal Justice System 225 Police First Contact 226 First Police and Juvenile Justice Contact 228 Police Custody 229 Police Contact Over Time 230 Discussion and Conclusion 231 References 233 Suggested Reading 2342009; New South Wales Law Reform Commission (NSWLRC), 2012, p. 63), and be refused bail and imprisoned (Lyall, Holland, & Styles, 1995).