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Background: Studies focusing on pathways in the criminal justice system for individuals with intellectual disability are limited in that they only study individuals once they are involved in the system and do not consider the pathways into it. The purpose of this study is to examine predisposing factors that lead to various outcomes for individuals with intellectual disability when police are called to respond to their behavioural crises. Method: The current study examined the outcome of police response to 138 individuals with intellectual disability in crisis. Following police intervention, 15 individuals were arrested, 76 were taken to the emergency department and 47 received on-scene resolution. Comparisons between the three groups were conducted. Results: The three groups differed in terms of residence at the time of crisis, history of forensic involvement and type of crisis. Police intervention with adults with intellectual disability can happen for different reasons. Both individual and situational predictors explained this outcome.

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. (Contains 2 tables.)