Mandatory reporting laws remove choice and safety from people with disabilities who have experienced abuse by reporting their experience to Adult Protective Services (APS), Child Protective Services (CPS) and the police, without their permission.

• Up to 26% of APS cases provide involuntary services, based on data from 7 states and estimates from 24 other states. The most common reasoning given for involuntary services are mental incapacity and inability to consent. (Duke, J. (1997))

• Police violence comprises so much violence against disabled people that disabled people constitute up to half of those killed by law enforcement officers. (https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/media-coverage-of-law-enforcement-use-of-force-and-disability/)

• 63% of the elderly victims did not or would not want law enforcement involved in their case. In cases with law enforcement involvement, 34% did not want it. 77% did not want prosecution. (Jackson, S. L., & Hafemeister, T. L. (2013))

To learn more about vulnerable adults interaction with mandatory reporting laws please click here

Barriers faced by adults with disabilities:

• Adults with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities (I/DD) are often labeled as “children” regardless of their actual age

• Adults with disabilities are often taught to be over-compliant with authority figures (including caregivers and guardians)

• Adults with I/DD may have different communications styles, such as, non-speaking communication. Services are not designed to include people with non-normative styles of communication

To learn more about Disability Justice please click here