104: Law Enforcement and Legal Involvement through Trauma-Informed and IDD Lenses

Hosted By: Dr. Andrea Clements

Breakout Sessions

Interactions with law enforcement and involvement with the legal system are often traumatic. Such interactions involving someone diagnosed with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) can be challenging both for the person and for the law enforcement or legal system representative. This session will include an overview of potential challenges inherent in legal involvement of people with IDD diagnoses and how an understanding of both IDD and trauma can be employed to reduce stress for all involved.

 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe challenges specific to legal involvement of people with IDD diagnoses
  2. Identify ways law enforcement may navigate interactions with people with IDD such as speaking with a companion, using de-escalation techniques, and nonjudgmentally considering IDD as a possible reason for behavior.
  3. Learn helping someone diagnosed with IDD to identify their own stress responses may help them control behavior and reduce legal interactions.