Overview
Please see instructions this is meant to be a presentation seminar assignment where present a case or cases based on the general subject matter of the chapter (attached as PDF). Taking key points made and ideologies that may be mentioned in the reading and using it as a basis to discuss topic of choice. I want to discuss social justice of people with disabilities incarcerated and the overall treatment within the judicial system. I've outlined and brainstormed some key thoughts and ideas while using a recent incident of Imarah Aaliyah Bryan https://k97fm.iheart.com/content/2025-09-25-black-woman-with-special-needs-jailed-over-49-target-theft/. Please include or add any statistical information to support points made and drive the point. Please do let me know if you ned any additional information.
Slide 1 – Title & Framing
Title: “Criminalized for Difference: Disability, Race, and Responsibility in the Justice System” Subtitle: The Case of Imarah Aaliyah Bryan (2024, Orlando, FL) Opening line example:
Slide 2 – Case Overview
Key facts:
- 26-year-old Black woman with special needs arrested for petty theft (< $200) at Target.
- Detained for 50 days before court appearance.
- Accepted no-contest plea → ordered to pay fines and banned from store.
- Judge described her as “alert and intelligent,” raising concern about comprehension of legal process.
- Widespread public outrage over the system’s handling of a cognitively impaired person.
Slide 3 – Systemic Health & Justice Disparities (2 min)
- People with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are (include statistic but outline that intellectual disability is often time grouped with other mental health issues that conflict with and suggests that people this population also have full range of comprehension, understanding, and social cues.
- Black and Latino individuals with IDD are more likely to be misdiagnosed, criminalized, or denied diversion.
- Once incarcerated, they face:
- Increased risk of abuse or sexual violence
- Punishment for overstimulation or confusion
- Little or no access to behavioral health care
Connect to social determinants of health: poverty, underdiagnosis, implicit bias, poor access to care before incarceration.
Slide 4 – Ethical & Policy Connections (2 min)
Use direct ties to the chapter on Responsibility & Health Care in Corrections:
|
Concept from Reading |
Real-World Example (Bryan Case) |
|
State assumes custodial duty |
Once jailed, the system became responsible for her safety and comprehension. |
|
Deliberate indifference violates the Eighth Amendment |
Detaining a disabled woman for 50 days over $200 theft shows deliberate neglect. |
|
Medical & moral responsibility of institutions |
No assessment or accommodation for her disability before sentencing. |
|
Social justice = equitable treatment for all populations |
Her punishment contrasts sharply with how white neurotypical offenders are treated for similar offenses. |
Slide 5 – Health & Human Rights Implications (1 min)
- Incarceration of disabled individuals is a public-health failure — not a legal necessity.
- Leads to trauma, regression, and long-term barriers to care.
- Violates ethical standards of beneficence (“do no harm”) and nonmaleficence (avoid harm).
- Questions of informed consent and capacity to stand trial remain unresolved.
Slide 6 – Policy Gaps & Needed Reform (1 min)
- Lack of mandatory disability screening during arrest or booking.
- Insufficient ADA oversight in jails.
- Need for specialized diversion programs and community-based alternatives.
- Importance of training judges, police, and correctional staff to identify and respond to intellectual disabilities.
Slide 7 – Social Media & Public Advocacy (30 sec)
- Show brief examples of online activism following her case.
- Discuss how public outrage serves as a tool for social accountability and policy awareness.
Slide 8 – Connection to Readings (1 min)
(You already have this content — paste the “Connection to Readings” slide we built earlier)
- Reinforce that custodial responsibility = moral responsibility.
- The case exemplifies “deliberate indifference” through neglect of both mental capacity and racial vulnerability.
Slide 9 – Discussion Questions (Transition to Discussion)
- How might healthcare professionals or policymakers intervene earlier in cases like this?
- if any other questions can be derived from the content that is though provoking