Brain‐injured children and the police

Abstract

The involvement of people with learning disabilities with the police has long been a source of difficulty. This article first sets the scene by exploring the particular difficulties that different groups may have in their potential dealings with the police, including people with: autism spectrum disorders; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); cerebral palsy; Tourette's syndrome; and those with brain injury. The article then goes on to explore the particular experiences of brain‐injured children1 and their parents when the former are taken into police custody, based upon research conducted for an MPhil degree. This research sheds light onto a highly under‐researched area and aims to bring about change in the training of police officers with specific regard to disabilities resulting from brain injury. A total of 13 parents and eight police forces were interviewed and the research findings highlight the need for better education and training to address the multiplicity of problems that the police are called upon to deal with.

Citation

Edworthy, A. and Hylton, C. (2010), "Brain‐injured children and the police", Journal of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 40-48. https://doi.org/10.5042/jldob.2010.0628