About Us

About Us

The ICJDN established late 2016 exists as a national platform whereby disability organisations/advocates and criminal justice agencies can be facilitated to improve the experience of those with an intellectual, learning or physical disability who engage with the Criminal Justice System.

Our Objectives

  • The provision of disability awareness training and education to key agencies in the Criminal Justice System
  • Informing Policy & Guidelines
  • Data Collection & Analysis
  • Collaboration & Research
  • To be a Forum for the Exchange of Views and Experiences through Regular Seminars and Conferences
  • Examining Best Practice in other Jurisdictions
  • Provision of Information and Training to Disability Advocates on the Criminal Justice Process

Membership

  • Member of An Garda Síochána’s Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring Forum
  • Member of the ACJRD

Work to Date

      • Invitation to Address to Officials at the Department of Justice on the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill (2022)
      • Attendance at the Judicial Discretion and the Justice and Welfare Dichotomy:  The sentencing of Child & Adolescent Sexual Offences in the Irish Youth Justice System organised by the Children’s Rights Alliance and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (2022)
      • Invitation to present to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution’s “Annual State Solicitors Seminar” (2021)
      • Invitation to present to the ACJRD’s 7th Annual Irish Criminal Justice Agencies (ICJA) Conference “Protecting the Rights of Vulnerable Suspects and Offenders: Defining, Identifying and Responding to Vulnerabilities (2021) 
      • Invitation to present Certificates of Attendance to attendees of the ICJDN Pilot Training Disability Awareness Programme (2021)
      • Invitation to the Consultation Session on Training for Prosecutors in relation to Vulnerable Victims (2020)
      • Participated in Policing Authority Research Consultation “Engaging with the Community- Increase public awareness and understanding of the criminal justice system”. (2020)
      • Appointed Secretary of the Garda National Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring Forum (2020)
      • Submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters
      • Participant at the Department of Justice Criminal Justice Strategy Consultation in the Law Society of Ireland (2020)
      • Participant at the Therapeutic Jurisprudence Round Table Discussion, NUI Maynooth (2020) Invitation and Attendance
      • Attendance at the launch of the IPRT Report Launch “Making Rights Real for people with Disabilities in Prison”
      • Presentation and Meeting with the National Disability Authority (2020)
      • Presentation to the Neurodiversity & Criminal Justice Conference organised by NUI Maynooth & UCD, ADHD Ireland and hosted by the ACJRD in the Law Society of Ireland (2019)
      • Design and Delivery a Pilot Training Disability Awareness Programme for An Garda Síochána (2019)
      • Delivered Training Presentation at the Garda Diversity and Inclusion Conference (2019)
      • Invitation to present to the Garda Inspectorate on the Treatment of Persons in Custody (2019)
      • Design and Delivery of Online Disability Awareness Training Materials for An Garda Síochána (2019)
      • Invitation to present to the Garda Inspectorate on the Treatment of Counter Corruption Practices (2019)
      • Publication of ICJDN Report (Towards Better Pathways and a Mutual Understanding- Access to Justice for People with Disabilities
      • Invitation to present to the Smyth Advisory Committee, Department of Justice (2018)
      • Conducted Roundtable discussion (Towards Better Pathways and a Mutual Understanding – Access to Justice for People with Disabilities (2018)
      • Hosted a seminar “Towards Compliance with the UNCRPD the Role of Criminal Justice Professionals” with the University of Limerick and the Centre for Crime Justice and Victim Studies (2018)
      • Hosted a seminar “Towards Compliance with the UNCRPD the Role of Criminal Justice Professionals” with the Bar of Ireland, University of Limerick and the Centre for Crime Justice and Victim Studies (2018) 
      • Participated in an NDA Roundtable Discussion on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Criminal Justice
      • Prepared and delivered a module for the Victims Directive MOOC for Legal Professionals designed by the Bar of Ireland, The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and the Law Society of Ireland (2017) 
      • Contributed to the SUPRALAT Law Society of Ireland/DCU Training Programme for defence solicitors with a focus on their role in advising suspects detained in Garda custody (2016)
      • Member of the Victims Rights Alliance (2016 -2018)
      • Co-hosted a seminar with the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development  “Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System : Recent Research and Case Work Experience (2015)
      • ICJDN Established 2015

      ICJDN Supporters

      We would like to express our gratitude to disability self advocates, advocates, parents and the following organisations for their collaboration, support and input into the work of the ICJDN.

      22Q11
      ASIAM
      Blind Legal Alliance
      Disability Federation of Ireland
      Down Syndrome Ireland
      Dyslexia Ireland
      Inclusion Ireland
      Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI)
      Mental Health Reform
      National Advocacy Service
      National Platform of Self Advocates
      Prosper Group
      St Michael’s House

      An Garda Síochána
      Association for Criminal Justice Research & Development (ACJRD)
      Bar of Ireland
      Courts Service
      Department of Justice
      Dublin City University
      Garda Síochána Inspectorate
      Irish Penal Reform Trust
      Irish Prison Service
      Maynooth University
      Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
      Policing Authority
      University of Limerick
      The Probation Service
      University College Dublin

      Social Enterprise Ireland (Formerly BNest Social Enterprise Incubator) CDETB Finglas Training Centre