CLA Special Project - Victims With Disabilities
With a grant from the Governor's Crime Commission of North Carolina, CLA
has established a project to address the needs of people with disabilities
who are victims of crime. People with disabilities are highly vulnerable
as victims of crime and are at greater risk for abuse than persons without
disabilities. Among the barriers that contribute the this vulnerability
are the social isolation of people with disabilities, their dependence
on caretakers, and the historical lack of awareness and accommodations
by criminal justice and victim assistance programs.
The Victims with Disabilities Project has within the past two years:
- Formed the Victims with Disabilities Task Force which brings together
advocates for crime victims, advocates for people with disabilities, and
representatives from government agencies with responsibility for both.
This task force has met regularly since 2001 and has broadened the outlook
of all concerned. Several subcommittees of the Task Force also meet regularly
and are working on specific ideas and tasks.
- Developed a flow chart that explains the criminal justice process
in simple terms for use by victims, their advocates and disability advocates.
Other flow charts covering the juvenile justice system and the role of
the Department of Social Services to look into cases of abuse or neglect
of people with disabilities are in the works.
- Published a manuscript, Justice for Victims with Disabilities,
to help educate victim assistance providers and the disability assistance
community about the legal rights of victims with disabilities.
- Provided training about the needs of victims with disabilities
to numerous audiences of people who are front line victim service providers
including for example those who work in domestic violence shelters and rape
crisis centers.
- Distributed copies of the Directory of Area Programs (local and
regional centers throughout the state providing mental health, developmental
disability and substance abuse services) to front line victims services providers
in order to facilitate referral when needed.
- Revised and edited a section of the Victim Witness Legal Assistance
Manual for the Conference of District Attorneys to add a section about victims
with disabilities.
- Provided training at law schools to raise awareness
and sensitivity among future judges, defenders, and prosecutors about the
needs and accompanying rights of victims with disabilities. This training
presentation was also designed to help the legal profession understand and
overcome public misperceptions and social stigma that discourages participation
of victims with disabilities in the criminal justice system.
- Set up a training program for students in the
Wake County Compensatory Education Program at Wake Technical Community College
that is based on the “Stay Safe/Right Rules” curriculum. These students
have developmental disabilities and they are learning how to avoid becoming
victims and how to respond if they are victimize
Victims With Disabilities Forms - free for download.
Click the link below to begin dowloading.
- Victims Manuscript