Out of the Shadows

Book excerpt: The story of people with learning disabilities and/or autism who are in the criminal justice system is often told in figures. It is estimated that around 7% of adults locked up in prisons have a learning disability, compared to around 2% of the general population; they are seven times more likely to come into contact with the police; and they account for just under a third of young people in custody. Out of the Shadows offers a very different view: the human cost of locking up people with learning disabilities and/or autism. Polly Braden's intimate and powerful photographs, seven in-depth stories written by Sally Williams and three first-hand accounts provide a valuable insight into how they ended up in prison and what happened to them.