Relationship between prior legal involvement and current crisis for adults with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and legal involvement are a unique population with complex needs. To date, there has been limited research exploring the demographic and clinical profiles of individuals with ID and legal involvement that are in crisis and how they differ to individuals with ID without legal involvement.

METHOD: 130 adults with ID and a history of legal involvement were compared to 617 without legal involvement who had experienced at least one crisis in terms of crisis presentation and outcome.

RESULTS: Overall, those with a known history of legal involvement were younger, higher functioning and more likely to be male and living in unsupported settings. Legal history was not a significant predictor of crisis involving aggression but was a significant predictor of police response to crisis, when other variables were controlled for.

CONCLUSIONS: Adults with ID and legal history may be more likely to have police respond to their crises than other individuals. Understanding the unique profiles of those with legal history can inform the development of services targeted towards offenders with ID.