Exploring the victim offender overlap among people with an intellectual disability

While there is growing international evidence pointing to the increased risks of crime perpetration and victimisation for some people with an intellectual disability, the overlap between offending and victimisation (the victim-offender overlap) remains unclear.

This study utilised a data linkage methodology of 2600 people with an intellectual disability, exploring their contacts with public mental health services and the police in Victoria, Australia.

Victim-offenders accounted for a small proportion of the sample (n = 148, 5.7%). The victim-offender overlap was evident for both violent and nonviolent nonsexual crimes, particularly for theft, burglary, and threat-related crimes. Key differences were also noted between males and females.

People with an intellectual disability who are both victim and offenders comprise a small but particularly complex justice-involved population. Future research should explore the victim offender overlap for males and females separately, as well as any additional risks and vulnerabilities associated with specific mental health diagnoses.