Intellectual disability behaviour support program: Economic evaluation of intellectual disability

The Criminal Justice Support Network (CJSN), operated by the Intellectual Disability Rights Service, provides practical and advocacy support to people with intellectual disability who are in contact with the New South Wales criminal justice system. This report presents an economic evaluation of the CJSN, comparing outcomes and costs for people supported by the service with those of similar defendants who did not receive support. Using matched administrative data and case studies, the authors examine court outcomes, use of custody, time spent on remand and broader system costs. The analysis finds that CJSN assistance leads to more appropriate legal processes and outcomes, reduced reliance on custodial sentences and better access to diversionary options and community-based supports. When the costs of running the service are weighed against savings from avoided custody and related justice expenses, the program demonstrates a clear net economic benefit. Beyond dollars, the report highlights the human impact: improved understanding of legal processes, greater participation in decision-making and better connections to support services. For community work professionals, this resource reinforces the importance of disability-informed, rights-based advocacy within the justice system and offers strong evidence to support the expansion of similar programs in other jurisdictions.