Supports for people in contact with the justice system
![Council](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Council.png?itok=OVUR5QnJ)
A person who has come into contact with the criminal justice system is someone who needs to communicate with or go to the
- Police
- Courts
- Prisons
![Large council building. In front of the building is a document, police officer, and gavel. A gavel is the hammer used by the judge in court.](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/courts_%282%29.png?itok=GKHncOOU)
The courts are where people decide if someone has broken the law.
![Person in prison](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Prisons.png?itok=DhbnnwKd)
Prisons are places where some people stay if they have broken the law.
![Person working on a computer](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Office%20Work%20%281%29.png?itok=Dkyy5KpO)
For more information about the criminal justice system go to
https://www.idmhconnect.health/
people-contact-justice-system/ER
![Person using the internet](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Claim%20Online.png?itok=nNIw0kYt)
Below are services and supports for people in contact with the criminal justice system.
![Mental health words](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/word-cloud%20%281%29.png?itok=HBMR44Tp)
There is a lot of information.
Some words can be hard to understand.
![Talking to someone you trust](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Social%20work.png?itok=FeHvPhZw)
You can ask someone to read this information with you.
![Legal advocate](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/legal%20advocate.png?itok=HZYqDMJ3)
The Justice Advocacy Service is a free advocacy service.
For more information about the service go to https://idrs.org.au/jas/
![Speaking up](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Advocate%20Independent_0.png?itok=PKbgzbRT)
Advocacy is having your voice heard so your rights and needs are met.
You can have needs in many areas of your life.
Rights are rules about how everybody should be treated fairly.
A right is something everyone has.
![Legal advocate](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/legal%20advocate.png?itok=HZYqDMJ3)
You can get a justice advocate to support you.
A justice advocate supports and assists people who are involved in the criminal justice system.
![No money](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/No%20money.jpg?itok=FzikaBY2)
A justice advocate who works at a Justice Advocacy Service is free.
![Supporting someone to fill in a form](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Form%20Staff%20Support.png?itok=fptq_lbi)
They can organise a support person for you.
A support person supports people with intellectual disability to
- Have all their rights met
- Be fully involved in the different parts of the criminal justice system
![Person who knows](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/know.png?itok=pSwgKP-g)
The justice advocate or support person can support you to
- Know what to expect will happen
![Help to fill in form](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/fill%20in%20form%20together.png?itok=IiRdpFGq)
- Fill in forms
- Understand how you should be treated
![Calm person](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/calm%20.png?itok=0uLeajOU)
- Stay calm
![Next steps](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/next%20steps.png?itok=AyITZnm2)
- Understand what has happened
- Understand what will happen next
![Upset person on the phone](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Upset%20person%20on%20the%20phone.png?itok=_pJI5ovO)
The Community Restorative Centre has a free telephone information and referral service.
Call them on (02) 9288 8700 between 9am and 5pm.
![Person in prison](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Prisons.png?itok=DhbnnwKd)
The Community Restorative Centre also has services and programs that support people who have left prison.
![Person using the internet](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Claim%20Online.png?itok=nNIw0kYt)
For more information about the Community Restorative Centre go to
![Screen capture of the Wordlist on the Intellectual Disability Mental Health Connect website.](/sites/default/files/styles/easy_read/public/media-image/Wordlist.png?itok=nAL2D_c3)
There are some tricky words on this Easy Read page.
For more information about these words go to