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The Criminal Justice Support Network
(CJSN) is a service for people with an intellectual
disability who are involved in criminal matters as a
witness, victim or suspect or offender.
CJSN
provides:
- Trained volunteer support people
in the targeted areas of the Sydney Metropolitan, Hunter
and Southern NSW regions, to assist people with an
intellectual disability at police stations and/or at
court.
- A state-wide 24 hour telephone
information and support line.
- Information and
Resources
- A new updated website -
www.idrs.org.au
- Training courses for carers,
service providers, family members and others who support
people with an intellectual disability who are in contact
with the Criminal Justice.
There will be a staged roll-out of
support people in the Sydney Metropolitan area. Referrals
will be initially accepted for matters at the following
courts:
- Balmain
- Burwood
- Central Sydney
- Downing Centre
- Newtown
- North Sydney
- Parramatta
- Redfern
- Ryde
- Waverley
Why might a person
with an intellectual disability need support at
court?
Support will be provided for the
Local, District and Supreme Courts. As more volunteers are
trained support will be provided in other Some of the main
effects of having an intellectual disability concern a
person’s ability to understand, ability to communicate
and ability to adjust to new situations.
Due to these constraints going to
court is especially difficult for a person with an
intellectual disability.
Many people in these circumstances may
not acknowledge that they are having difficulty.
They may just try to cope and hope
things turn out OK.
Providing support and spending time to
assist the person to understand can help them to do their
best and reduce their particular disadvantage in an often
complex legal system.
A support person working in
co-operation with the solicitor can enable a client with an
intellectual disability to exercise their legal rights by
assisting the person to communicate with their solicitor and
to understand and participate in the proceedings.
Accessing Court
Support
Ask your client whether they would
like to have a support person to help them at court. If they
agree:
Phone 1300
665 908
Speak to a CJSN Regional Coordinator
or the CJSN Project Manager who will get in touch with the
client and make arrangements to connect them with a CJSN
support worker at the times required.
What information
is needed before contacting CJSN?
- Name of the client or name of the
person requiring CJSN support (for instance if the person
with an intellectual disability is a witness subpoenaed
to appear).
- Name of the opposing
party.
- The type matter requiring the CJSN
support. Is it a police interview, bail application,
plea, mention, hearing, sentencing etc?
- Whether the person who requires
CJSN support has used the Intellectual Disability Rights
Service or CJSN before.
- Whether the person's advocate or
care has been contacted, and their name and contact
details.
- Date and time that the matter is
listed.
- At which court the matter is
listed.
- How long the matter is expected to
run.
- A basic summary of the person's
ability to communicate and understand what is being
explained to them.
Before the court
date the support worker can
Help to prepare the client for going
to court and assist the person to:
- understand the basic nature of
their matter and what happens at court.
- understand the importance of
attending court.
- remember the court date and make
arrangements to get there.
- access legal advice before the day
and have secure representation.
- remember to bring relevant papers
with themto court.
- understand expected
behaviour/attire etc.
The support person will discuss with
the client how they would like to be assisted at
court.
With the client’s permission, the
support person may obtain information about the
person’s disability and support needs from someone such
as a service provider or family member.
The support person will be careful not
to discuss the client’s evidence or the facts of the
matter with the client.
At appointments
with solicitors
The support person can assist the
client to communicate with their solicitor. The support
person will check that they understand the advice as they
may need to reinforce this information to the client at a
later time.
At court the
support person can
- Assist the client to find the
relevant court room and when appropriate, the duty so
licitor.
- Sit with the person and help them
to stay calm while they wait for their
matter.
- Advise the court/solicitor of any
special needs the client may have.
- Assist the person to communicate
with their solicitor and reinforce their
advice.
- If appropriate and agreed, sit
near the client in court and indicate to the solicitor if
they think the client does not understand something, is
distressed or needs a break.
- After checking the outcome with
the solicitor, ensure the client understands
this.
- Accompany the client to the court
office/Probation and Parole officer and explain any
documents where necessary.
- Highlight the need for referrals
to services.
- If the person is refused
bail/sentenced to gaol the support worker will contact
the Disability Services Unit of Corrective
Services.
To arrange a support worker for a
person with an intellectual disability who is required to go
to court
Phone the CJSN 1300
665 908
For further
information
Legal Advice available between 2pm
- 5pm weekdays
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