ABSTRACT
In this introductory chapter, the scene is set in relation to forensic speech and language therapy and the speech, language and communication needs of people in contact with the criminal justice system, including the challenges faced by clinicians working in this field.
From the earliest known speech and language therapy (SLT) services within the adult secure estate in the 1990s, to services developed for young offenders in the 2000s, to increased activity from various agencies in the period following 2010, the chapter gives an overview of the 30-year development of this relatively new clinical area of SLT and how underpinning research evidence influenced policy decisions in England and Wales up to the present day.
The chapter summarises the published evidence base which considers the speech, language and communication needs of people in contact with the criminal justice system thus enabling the reader to understand the history and context of this clinical area, and the rationale for authoring this book.
