6.4.7. Kevin

Kevin is an Indigenous man in his late thirties who lives in northern NSW. At some point in his life he was diagnosed as having an IQ of 63, placing him in the intellectual disability range. There is no data on contact with government agencies in his childhood or youth until an application to live in public housing at the age of 25. As an adult Kevin is known to police as a user of heroin, cannabis and amphetamines and for being affected by drugs and alcohol in public places, however the bulk of Kevin’s interactions with police relate to his treatment of his partner.

Kevin’s first encounter with police was at the age of 26, where Kevin was charged with malicious damage and trespassing in relation to his partner’s property and given a fine. The following year he was convicted of theft and released with a bond. Kevin had contact with police in subsequent years as a result of altercations with his partner and allegations of him sexually and physically assaulting her. He contravened a number of domestic violence orders and was imprisoned as a result. Kevin was also involved in ongoing disputes with his partner over the custody of their children. Kevin was imprisoned for theft on one other occasion, which is recorded as relating to his drug use.

Kevin appears to have no contact with the criminal justice system as a child or young person, his offending only beginning in his mid-20s in connection with his drug use and violence towards his partner. There is no record of him receiving disability support or services as an adult. 

This case study was compiled by Alec Sewell for his PhD thesis “Complex Needs at the Interface of Human and Justice Services”. UNSW Australia (forthcoming)