Young people with learning disabilities who sexually harm others: the role of criminal justice within a multi‐agency response

Accessible summary•  Young people with learning disabilities are more likely to be abused than other young people. Some young people who have been abused go on to sexually abuse other people. •  Young people with sexual behavior problems do not get help until after they have sexually abused someone else and the police are involved. •  If a young person is convicted of a sex crime it has a very bad effect on their future. •  There needs to be more help for young people with learning disabilities so that they do not sexually abuse others.Summary This paper outlines the key findings from a recent study of statutory service responses to young people with learning disabilities who show sexually inappropriate or abusive behaviours, with a particular focus on the involvement of criminal justice agencies. The study found that although inappropriate sexual behaviours were commonplace in special schools, and that serious acts of abuse including rape had sometimes occurred, education, welfare and criminal justice agencies struggled to work together effectively. In particular, staff often had difficulty in determining the point at which a sexually inappropriate behaviour warranted intervention. This problem was frequently compounded by a lack of appropriate therapeutic services. In many cases this meant that no intervention was made until the young person committed a sexual offence and the victim reported this to the police. As a consequence, young people with learning disabilities are being registered as sex offenders. The paper concludes by addressing some of the policy and practice implications of the study’s findings, particularly those which relate to criminal justice.