Introduction
The world faces a crisis in terms of the treatment of individuals with disabilities. Although activists should certainly advocate for the fair treatment of disabled people in society, it is now much more important to focus on violence against such persons, rather than their oppression. It is apparent that the bigger problem is the crime rates against disabled individuals. To solve such a complex issue, it is crucial to gather all the available resources and engage all the stakeholders, including policymakers, members of law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, as well as other institutions. Disabled people are victims of sexual abuse, neglect, and violence at higher rates than individuals who do not have disabilities. Considering the vulnerable position disabled persons often find themselves in, this problem is even more alarming.
Any form of cognitive or physical impairment makes a person less capable of responding to danger. Thus, a disabled individual is essentially more susceptible to predatory behavior displayed by other members of society. Although each scenario should be regarded in its own, there is no doubt that disabled people are often targeted by criminals. The purpose of this essay is to examine the reasons for such high violent crime rates against persons with disabilities in an effort to develop certain recommendations for law enforcement officials to deal with these victims and prevent violence in the future.
Defining Disability
In order to examine the reasons behind the alarming statistics related to violence against persons with disabilities, it is first important to define disability. The amount and scope of publications centered around disabled individuals indicates that there is an interest displayed by the scientific community to gain deeper understanding of disability. Despite that, there is still confusion among scholars in regards to the exact definition of disability (Thomas, 2004). Leonardi et al. (2006) argue that disability is “a state of decreased functioning associated with disease, disorder, injury, or other health conditions, which in the context of one’s environment is experienced as an impairment, activity limitation, or participation restriction” (p. 1220). Essentially, a disabled person simply has a sensory, emotional, physical, or mental impairment, which makes it hard for them to perform daily tasks.
Although the medical definition of disability is useful in this paper, it is impossible to discuss the victimization of disabled individuals without examining the sociological definition of disability. It is crucial to acknowledge both the health and socio-environmental aspects of disability in order to find solutions to the selected problem. Medics agree that disability is caused by illness or a certain empowerment although sociologists argue that the primary reason for disability is the act of social exclusion and oppression.
The point of view of scholars in the field of sociology is helpful to recognize the patterns behind the social treatment of disabled individuals. Vic Finkelstein, a disability rights activist and one of the founders of the Disability Arts and Disability Rights Movement, notes that disability is something “imposed on top of our impairments by the way we are unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society” (as cited in Thomas, 2004, p. 572). While it is important to recognize the actual effects of impairment on disabled individuals, disability should be regarded in the context of social attitudes and culture. When discussing the crimes committed against persons with disabilities, it is especially important to conceptualize disability in terms of interactions of individuals who have impairments with their social environment.
As for the classification of disabilities, there are hearing, intellectual, vision, ambulatory, and other types of disabilities. A person may have sensory limitations such as deafness or blindness, which make it harder for them to function in society and easier for criminals to take advantage of them. Cognitive (or intellectual) limitations are usually associated with a mental or physical condition, which affects one’s ability to analyze, remember, or concentrate on information. These and other types of disabilities make individuals more susceptible to abuse and assault.
Reasons for the Violent Crimes Occurring
Criminal victimization is a much bigger threat for disabled individuals who are more likely to experience abuse of any kind and neglect. In addition, in comparison to the general population, people with disabilities often become victims of neglect and financial exploitation since their impairments make them more vulnerable (Hughes et al., 2011). There are certain factors, which contribute to high crime rates against disabled persons. Thus, law enforcement officials have to be aware of these factors in order to profile potential victims and prevent future crimes. Some of the reasons for violent crimes occurring include the negative public perception of disabled individuals, lack of support provided to them by caregivers, as well as such persons’ social isolation (Hughes et al., 2011). There is also a growing concern regarding the perceived credibility of testimonies given by disabled people when they decide to report a crime.
Long-term victimization of disabled individuals is often associated with the dependency of such people on their perpetrators. Those struggling or unable to complete daily activities such as dressing and eating without the assistance of their caregivers are especially susceptible to abuse and exploitation. As a result, many victims remain silent or have no means to ask for help, which leads them to hopelessness in the face of emotional, sexual, or physical abuse and violence.
Factors Affecting the Reporting Rates
Despite the importance of discussing the factors contributing to high crime rates against the disabled population, it is much more crucial for police officers to examine the social and disability-related barriers to asking for help and reporting a crime. Many agencies specializing in victim assistance do not that many cases involving disabled individuals (Hughes et al., 2011). However, this is not for the lack of such cases but for the fact that victims with disabilities are usually reluctant to report abuse, sexual assault, or any other type of violent crimes. Unfortunately, despite the prevalence of violent crimes targeted at persons with impairments, many of them choose not to seek help or legal assistance. Thus, in order for law enforcement officers to prevent such crimes from happening, they have to first identify the most common reasons behind the disabled population’s reluctance to report a crime.
Some of the factors influencing the rates of reporting among disabled individuals are the fears of reprisal, jeopardizing their own support system by reporting their caretaker, or not being believed. The majority of disabled people simply assume that the crime is not serious enough to report, especially in comparison to the possible implications of being involved in court proceedings (Hughes et al., 2011). Some of the disability-related reasons for the lack of reporting are mobility limitations, social isolation, and possible feelings of shame. In addition to being reluctant to report their primary caregivers, disabled individuals generally lack substantial knowledge about the criminal justice system.
Moreover, some of the current regulations do not recognize some of the abusive actions as misconduct. The disabled population may experience difficulty “labeling behavior such as rough treatment or the withholding of medication as abusive because they have come to accept it as typical treatment, and current laws do not consistently recognize certain abusive behaviors as criminal misconduct” (Hughes et al., 2011, p. 186). Undoubtedly, disabled individuals have more vulnerabilities, which makes them more likely to get affected by potential retribution from family members, caregivers, or administrators at residential facilities.
The reluctance of disabled individuals to seek assistance from law enforcement agencies is often associated with the concerns of the disabled populations of not being believed. Research demonstrates that police officers often regard disabled persons as this who lack credibility, either due to their complaints being disregarded as non-criminal or their reports being transferred to Adult Protective Services (Hughes et al., 2011). Moreover, many people with impairments require aid throughout the process of reporting a crime since they may need an interpreter or materials provided in Braille language. Another factor, which influences the disabled population’s ability to adequately communicate with legal officials, is incorrect assumptions. Law enforcement officers usually perceive disabled individuals as incapable of taking care of themselves or their children, which leads to the legal offices misinterpreting the situations involving people with disabilities (Hoong Sin et al., 2012). As a result, disabled individuals fear that they are going to be placed in an institution or that their kids will be taken away.
Recommendations for Law Enforcement
Police officers generally lack the appropriate experience, skills, and training to deal with violent crimes, which involve individuals with impairments. Research shows that the majority of law enforcement officials have limited knowledge regarding the most effective methods of communicating with people who have cognitive disabilities (Hughes et al., 2011). In addition, many police officers find it difficult to distinguish between the types of disabilities, which affects their perception towards an individual with an impairment. Apart from displaying bias in regards to disabled crime victims, which was mentioned earlier, law enforcement agencies are full of people who consider themselves competent to effectively work with persons with disabilities, yet they have not undergone any training to do so.
It is impossible to deny that the role of police and the criminal justice system in keeping vulnerable populations safe is crucial. Therefore, certain changes are needed to address the issues related to high crime rates against disabled individuals. Recent media coverage of high-profile cases of violent crime against persons with disabilities has highlighted the failure of law enforcement agencies’ strategies used to respond to such crimes (Hoong Sin et al., 2012). Furthermore, police courses lack much needed modules centered around the increased victimization of disabled people. Police agencies have to review their structures for dealing with people with disabilities falling victim to abuse and violence. Front-line officers should be required to complete training in disability awareness in order to learn the most efficient methods of interacting with disabled victims. In addition, it is crucial for police services to invest in awareness initiatives among persons with disabilities, their families, and caretakers. This way, disabled individuals can learn more about their rights and channels of seeking help.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that disabled populations remain extremely vulnerable to mental, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as violence. Disabled persons are usually considered an easy target, which increases their chance of becoming a victim. There are growing concerns regarding the responsiveness of law enforcement agencies to the reports made by disabled people. In order to reduce the victimization of this group, it is crucial to make changes to the current police service procedures, staff training, and initiatives.
References
Hughes, Rosemary B., Mary Ann Curry, Mary Oschwald, Beckie Child, Emily M. Lund, Michael J. Sullivan, and Laurie R. Powers. 2011. “Responding to Crime Victims with Disabilities: The Perspective of Law Enforcement.” Journal of Policy Practice 10(3): 185-205. doi:10.1080/15588742.2011.582812.
Leonardi, Matilde, Jerome Bickenbach, Tefvik B. Ustun, Nenad Kostanjsek, and Somnath Chatterji. 2006. The Definition of Disability: What Is in a Name?” The Lancet 368(9543): 1219–1221. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(06)69498-1.
Thomas, Carol. 2004. “How Is Disability Understood? An Examination of Sociological Approaches.” Disability & Society 19(6): 569–583. doi:10.1080/0968759042000252506.