KeyRing - Disability Support in the Criminal Justice System

KeyRing supports vulnerable adults around the UK to build skills and networks needed to live independently in their own homes each year. Volunteers and staff facilitate mutual support, community engagement, and social connections within 'KeyRing Networks.'

KeyRing and the Criminal Justice System

KeyRing has been involved in work in the Criminal Justice System (CJS)  for many years. KeyRing contribute to a fairer and more effective CJS by demonstrating how neurodiverse people are often disadvantaged by a service that doesn’t meet their needs but can flourish with person-centred adjustments. It has worked directly with the Prison Reform Trust, Bemix (formerly The Skillnet Group), the Department of Health, and NHS England on learning disability projects relating to offenders with learning disabilities, autism, or both. KeyRing has also delivered several programmes of awareness training for different criminal justice professionals.

Finding the right package of support for someone with a learning disability, autism, or both can be the key to turning their life around. This is also true for people with a learning disability, autism, or both who find themselves in the criminal justice system.

The Working for Justice group helps the Criminal Justice System to support people with learning disabilities, autism, or both. The group won the National Learning Disabilities Award in 2014 for their work making the system more accessible.

In 2022 KeyRing produced the Fairer Justice for All report, after looking at the experiences of young neurodiverse people in the criminal justice system.

Keyring has directories of Easy-Read documents about subjects such as the police, the courts, liaison and diversion prison and parole, healthcare in prison, probation, and other criminal justice organisations.

KeyRing is a registered charity (no. 1054234).