Navigating the Criminal Justice System with Above-Average and Below-Average Levels of Intellectual Functioning: The Voice of Service Users

This chapter recounts the narratives of two men who have been convicted of a sexual offence and served custodial sentences. One of the authors reflects on his experience of the criminal justice system and prison as seen by someone who has a superior IQ; the other author reflects on his experience of mentoring other prisoners who are learning to read and write. The group supported by the latter comprises predominantly, but not exclusively, of those with a borderline or lower-than-average IQ. The chapter provides detail about these men’s experiences within prison; we hope that this will give readers some insight into how we can work with both groups in a responsive and effective manner.