Supporting Offenders with Learning Disabilities

Events

We aim to host two large scale conferences each year, usually in the Spring and Autumn. These usually take the form of consultation events, and are an opportunity for professionals from across the criminal justice sector and service users with lived experience to share their knowledge and experience on a variety of complex issues.

It is our policy that members of the SOLD user group, and their views, are always at the front and centre of each of our events.

Upcoming Events

Staying Safe and Prevention, Intervention & Inclusion

We have two interconnected events planned for early 2019 on the subject of harmful sexual behaviour and young people with additional support needs, and exploring inclusive strategies for prevention and early intervention. These are being organised in partnership between SOLD, the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice, and the Scottish Transitions Forum.

Staying Safe: Exploring the needs of young people with additional support needs who experience or present with Harmful Sexual Behaviour and their families.

Monday 4th February 2019, Norton Park Conference Centre, Edinburgh.

 

Prevention, Intervention & Inclusion: Harmful Sexual Behaviour and young people with additional support needs.

Wednesday 3rd April 2019, Insight Institute, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Details, reports and resources

latest Events

SOLD User Group – Rights and Support in the Justice System

The most recent SOLD event was organised by our User group. The title was:

Rights and Support in the Justice System.

It was held on

Wednesday 21st November,
from 10.30am – 3.00pm,
at Norton Park Conference Centre in Edinburgh
(next to Easter Road stadium)

This event was for people with learning disabilities, autism or other additional support needs.

Details, reports and resources

previous Events

Improving support for offenders with learning disabilities to complete their sentence

The latest SOLD event was held on Wednesday 21st March at Norton Park Conference Centre in Edinburgh.  It was fully booked, with ninety-five delegates attending on the day.This represented the final part of a trilogy of events, having previously looked at ways of improving supports for cognitively impaired defendants in police custody and in court.The Scottish Government is committed to the principle of presumption against short-term prison sentences, and increased use of community based disposals.  We are keen to ensure fair and equal access to Community Payback Orders, and that cognitively impaired people receive the support they need to comply and avoid unnecessarily breaching their Order.  We are also keen that people receive the communication support they need in prison and to break the cycle of re-offending.

Details, reports and resources

Improving support for the accused person with a learning disability in Police Custody

There were almost one hundred people present at the event, all of whom have an interest in the criminal justice system, and or, people with learning disabilities. A broad range of professionals were represented, including the legal profession, psychiatry, clinical psychology, social work, health, police, prison service, voluntary sector, independent advocacy and academia, amongst others.

Members of the SOLD User group, who are people with learning disabilities and have experience of the criminal justice system, were also involved.

Details, reports and resources

SOLD Event: Improving support for the accused from arrest through to and including the court process

The focus was to discuss ways of improving supports for people with learning disabilities when accused of an offence. This covered the stages of the criminal justice pathway from the point of arrest, to custody, to standing trial in court.The event provided an opportunity for a range of professionals from all sectors, and people with learning disabilities with experience of the criminal justice system, to engage with the discussion on this complex subject.

Details, reports and resources