School to Prison Pipelines: Modelling risk trajectories for children and young people with neurodisabilities in contact with the criminal justice syst
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Exeter
Department Name: Psychology
Abstract
School to Prison Pipelines: Modelling risk trajectories for children and young people with neurodisabilities in contact with the criminal justice system.
Applying advanced statistical models, including machine learning and multilevel modelling, to large forensic datasets. This includes datasets from prisons and from alternative provision school settings. The aim of this is to better understand and predict risk of outcomes such as violence, poor mental health, and recidivism in prisoners, and contact with the criminal justice system in adolescents.
Applying advanced statistical models, including machine learning and multilevel modelling, to large forensic datasets. This includes datasets from prisons and from alternative provision school settings. The aim of this is to better understand and predict risk of outcomes such as violence, poor mental health, and recidivism in prisoners, and contact with the criminal justice system in adolescents.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Huw Williams (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Hope Kent (Student) |
Publications
Kent H
(2023)
Looked after children in prison as adults: life adversity and neurodisability.
in International journal of prisoner health
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000630/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2399774 | Studentship | ES/P000630/1 | 01/10/2020 | 29/02/2024 | Hope Kent |
| Description | This award is still active, and the research is still in progress. However, we have published an initial key finding as follows: We studied adult prisoners, using administrative data. We found that prisoners who had been Looked After Children (LAC - children who have been in social care) had complex adversity including higher rates of homelessness, school exclusion, substance use problems, and unemployment (including unemployment due to disability). We also found that they had higher levels of functional neurodisability on a cognitive screening tool, and had scores indicative of more dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and developmental coordination disorder. This study uniquely contributes to our understanding of prisoners who were LAC as a target group for intervention and support with re-integration into the community upon release. LAC in prison as adults may require additional interventions to help with employment, housing and substance use. Education programmes in prison should screen for neurodisability, to develop strategies to support engagement. |
| Exploitation Route | These findings are important, as they indicate that there are a high proportion of LACs in prison as adults, who are a particularly vulnerable group that may require higher levels of support with re-integration into the community. Whilst significant efforts are currently being made currently to reduce the criminalisation of LACs, it is important to also allocate resource to support adults in prison who were in contact with the social care system as children. We have found evidence that they are a vulnerable group within prisons, and additional support with rehabilitation could reduce cyclical, repeat contact with the justice system, as well as provide social support that may have been missing when they were children. Proper holistic assessment is key to understanding an individual's strengths and weaknesses and designing multi-agency interventions. Reducing the criminalisation of LAC is an essential focus of new policy, but we should additionally take care not to forget the LAC who are currently in prison as adults in this paradigm shift away from punitive responses to children in contact with the welfare system. Future research should look to collect more longitudinal data combining education, social care, health care, and the criminal justice system. We should also consider how to collect more complete administrative data about being in care in the justice system, as this isn't routinely collected and recorded in an accessible way across the justice system. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |