2008 - Preventing Crime and Promoting Rights for Indigenous Young People with

The Indigenous view of health is ‘holistic, encompassing mental health and physical, cultural and spiritual health’.6 Holistic health acknowledges the impact of colonisation on Indigenous health: Any delineation of mental health problems and disorders must encompass recognition of the historical and socio-political context of Aboriginal mental health including the impact of colonisation; trauma; l. [...] The Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons (1971) and the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled People (1975) are also relevant to the rights of Indigenous young people with cognitive disabilities and/or mental health issues. [...] However, at the end of the day, some experts argue that prevalence is essentially a red herring issue.52 The real issues for consideration are the reasons behind over representation in the special education and juvenile justice in the first place, and consequent provision of appropriate early interventions, diversionary programs and treatments to meet the needs of these young people. [...] c) Indigenous young people with cognitive disabilities and mental health problems in context: Issues in development, education and the juvenile justice system Developmental and social determinants of cognitive disabilities and/or mental health issues in Indigenous communities While the data regarding the incidence of cognitive disabilities and/or mental health issues in the Indigenous community s. [...] Explanations for the over representation of people with mental health problems in the criminal justice system The over representation of people with mental illness in the criminal justice system has been the topic of a number of reports and inquiries since the report of National Inquiry into the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness (the Burdekin Report) in 1993.