Crimes by people with learning disabilities may go unreported

FAMILIES and professionals dealing with people with learning disabilities are failing to report criminal acts by those in their care because of a lack of supports and services to deal with the problem.

A study by doctors in the Irish College of Psychiatrists found that 88% of carers believed there was a disinclination to report offences with typical comments noting “staff and family reluctant to report and gardaí reluctant to prosecute”.

The authors identified 431 people countrywide who had a learning disability and had committed an offence — ranging from indecent exposure to murder — but said under-reporting of offences, and the likelihood that some offenders have not had their disability assessed or recognised, means that this number could be conservative.