Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour

Multi Agency Pathway Model For Diversion Of People With Learning Disabilities And Autism From Custody

Anwesha Tripathy (1), Anushree Gaur (2), Fazil Hasan (3), Madireddy Sirisha (4), Komal Parashar (5), Dr. Reekee Patel (6)

(1) Assistant Professor, Department of Law, SOA National Institute of Law, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
(2) Assistant Professor, Department of Development Studies, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, India
(3) Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Noida International University, Uttar Pradesh, India
(4) Centre for Multidisciplinary Research, Anurag University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
(5) Centre of Research Impact and Outcome, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
(6) Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Parul Intitute of Medical Sciences & Reasearch, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
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Abstract

Persons with learning disabilities and autism are grossly under-represented in the criminal justice system, where they become a revolving door of recidivism due to the system failures in early detection and intervention. The present study suggests a Multi-Agency Pathway Model that allows uniting police, judicial, and clinical stakeholders into one framework. The research helps in the evaluation of the efficacy of the transition between siloed institutional practices to a whole-system diversionary approach by synthesizing the information from twenty prominent forensic and clinical studies. Statistical methods show that through the introduction of specialized screening strategies at the initial stage of contact, the rates of detecting neurodevelopmental disorders can be raised by 45%. The study, however, concludes that in the absence of a coordinated multi-agency response, about 80 % of the identified individuals will become victims of a support gap after they appear in court, resulting in custodial consequences. The model illustrates that integrated forensic psychiatry liaison and community-based on-ramps are very effective in reducing recidivism based on the underlying causes of offending behavior through specific rehabilitation. The results make it possible to conclude that the Multi-Agency Pathway Model is vital in the context of legal equity and social safety. The study recommends the national standardization of such protocols, avoiding individual pilot programs, and instead implementing a compulsory and well-financed forensic infrastructure. The justice system can reduce the marginalization of neurodivergent populations and guarantee social inclusion over the long term by engaging in collaborative and person-centered care.