COMMUNICATION ACCESS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR
We expect that access is provided in the form of wheelchairs and ramps for people with physical disabilities. Equally, communication access is required for people who experience difficulties speaking, understanding, reading and/ or writing. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may speak English as a second or third language, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
International research indicates that at least 60 percent of the young people involved in youth justice systems have significant difficulties with oral language (Bryan, Freer & Furlong, 2007). Australian research corroborates this, with a recent study in Melbourne finding that at least 50 to 60 percent of male young offenders have a clinically significant language disorder (Swain 2016).
All victims of crime and people suspected of crime, including those with complex communication needs, have a right to access justice and tell their story. Our Australian legal system is heavily reliant on verbal recount. People with complex communication needs require communication assistance to access justice throughout the process, from police interviews to legal meetings and in the courtroom.
Social Model of Disability CAPACITY
DISABILITY
This diagram illustrates that the impact of a disability reduces when adjustments to the environment and the support provided address the barriers. A person’s capacity to effectively communicate increases when speakers and listeners understand how to use supportive strategies and adjust the environment appropriately to individual needs.
This resource provides information and a wealth of practical strategies to assist police officers, social workers or legal professionals to adjust their communication and the environment to support their client’s support capacity to focus, understand questioning and give their best evidential account.
7
ENVIRONMENT
SUPPORT
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39
