Normalisation in an Abnormal World: A Study of Prisoners with an Intellectual Disability

Abstract

The most appropriate means of dealing with offenders with an intellectual disability has become a contentious issue of postdeinstitutionalisation. Proponents of normalisation argue that offenders should be held accountable and responsible for their actions in the same way as nondisabled citizens. Critics argue that such an approach fails to recognise the multiple disadvantages under which most offenders labour. Unfortunately, much of this debate is carried out at the level of rhetoric only because comparatively little is known about the experiences of offenders within the system. This study examines the characteristics and experiences of two groups of offenders with an intellectual disability held in custody: one within the mainstream prison system, the other within a secure facility on the grounds of an institution. Although not without its disadvantages, the secure facility appears better equipped to meet the multiple and complex needs of this grossly disadvantaged group of offenders.