Removing the barriers to justice for people with disabilities
11/05/2013
Dignity for Disability will continue campaigning to remove barriers to justice for people with disabilities at this morning’s Barriers to Justice group Law Week BBQ at Adelaide’s Central Market.
“I am really pleased to be joining with the Victim Support Service and Disability Advocacy Service of SA to continue banging the drum on this important issue,” says Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent.
“The justice system continues to be a nightmare for people with disabilities, whether you’re a victim, witness or offender. People with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities and mental illness, are overrepresented as both victims and offenders in our legal and justice systems and it’s time to address the systemic and cultural problems that have led to this.
“Whether you’re a child with an intellectual disability that has been sexually abused, a wheelchair user, have a mental illness, are deaf, or a person on the autism spectrum, the courts and corrections systems in South Australia have constant physical, practical and legal barriers to accessing justice in a fair and timely fashion.
“It’s time for our legal system and Government Departments to commit to wholesale reform so we can bring the South Australian justice system into the 21st century.
“It’s ridiculous that in 2013 we still don’t have laws that allow recorded testimonies in court, that intermediaries can’t be used for people with communication difficulties and our Evidence Act 1929 doesn’t allow hearsay evidence.
“The majority of staff across the police, corrections and courts systems have not had adequate education in the diversity of disabilities in society, nor have they had training in the specialist needs of this community.
“The Parliamentary Select Committee I established into interaction with, and access to, the justice system for people with disabilities is close to reporting and I hope we can move rapidly forward with implementing reform.
“I’m also encouraged to hear there is some positive movement from the Attorney-General and cross-government departments on the Disability Justice Plan and I look forward to promoting positive action with them in this area,” said Ms Vincent.
Ms Vincent will be speaking at the event at 9:30am. Please see the attached flyer for details and map of the Barriers to Justice Law Week BBQ event in the south-western corner of the Adelaide Central Market, adjacent to Lucia’s.
