Women With Disabilities WA Inc will be making a submission to the Human Rights Commission about Access to Justice in the Criminal Justice System for People With Disabilities. If you would like to have your experiences and thoughts on this important issue included in our submission, please contact us via email, Facebook message or phone by Tuesday 20 August.
We apologise for the short time frame, but this is an important issue for so many women with disabilities and it is important that we have our say. For more information please go to http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/access-justice-criminal-justice-system-people-disability-issues-paper-april-2013
The Australian Human Rights Commission is concerned that many people with disability who need communication supports or who have complex and multiple support needs are not having their rights protected, and are not being treated equally, in the criminal justice system. This is happening to children, young people and adults with disability. It is happening to people with disability who are victims of crime, accused of crimes, witnesses, defendants and offenders. It is happening in police stations, courts, prisons and juvenile institutions, and other corrective services across Australia.
Questions from discussion paper:
What are the biggest barriers for you or other people with disability in the criminal justice system?
What could be done to remove these barriers and help people with disability in the criminal justice system?
Can you provide information about support that has helped you or other people with disability to participate in the criminal justice system?
Please tell us about any time that you or another person with disability experienced barriers to justice.
Do you have any other thoughts, ideas or comments you would like to make about people with disability and the criminal justice system?