Up to half the people entering the justice system have some form of neurodivergence. The vast majority receive no adjustments. The system misreads them, fails them and pays for it repeatedly. ClearPath Justice exists to change that, starting in Derbyshire.
The House of Lords concluded in November 2025 that the Government's 2026 target for all criminal justice agencies to make demonstrable progress supporting autistic people is unlikely to be met. Support is described as "patchy and inconsistent" with no effective mechanism to spread good practice across the system.
House of Lords Select Committee on the Autism Act 2009, HL Paper 205, November 2025Hidden disabilities and trauma responses are routinely misread as non-compliance or credibility issues. Where interactions are poorly documented, inaccurate assumptions are carried forward across proceedings contaminating outcomes and limiting access to redress.
Every ineffective hearing, every misfiled case, every crisis escalated by procedural failure consumes finite public resource. Neurodivergent people who cannot participate effectively are a structural driver of that inefficiency and the costs compound across agencies.
Department for Education analysis shows reducing a public law case by just one week saves approximately £697 per case for local authorities covering social worker time, expert assessments, and temporary care costs. Cases involving expert reports last on average 122 days longer and require two additional hearings.
NAO: Improving family court services for children, 2025A man moved from long-term inpatient detention to community-based supported living saw weekly costs fall from £19,000 to £4,500 a saving of £14,500 per week. His four-year inpatient stay cost his NHS trust just over £1 million, described as spending large sums "not in a very effective way."
House of Lords Autism Act Committee, HL Paper 205, 2025 high-acuity reference caseThere is a double standard at the heart of the criminal justice system: neurodivergent DA victims are prosecuted for offending caused by their abuse, while their perpetrators face a 1-in-70 chance of even being charged. The system that failed to protect them then punishes them for surviving.
Centre for Women's Justice, Double Standard (2022) · CPS data on rape prosecutionsResearch shows autistic suspects often waive legal advice to escape custody faster and may respond to interview questions in ways leading to self-incrimination without understanding the significance. Appropriate adult provision alone is insufficient. The problem is systemic, not procedural.
Holloway-George et al., Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2025
ClearPath Justice is not a national programme seeking local delivery partners. We are a Derbyshire organisation, rooted in local need, building an evidence base for a model that can scale but starting here, with the people who need it most.
A SafeLives audit of Derbyshire's domestic abuse response is currently withheld under law enforcement exemptions. The MARAC repeat case rate indicates that existing provision is not breaking cycles of harm for the highest-risk individuals. The gap between statutory ambition and delivery is documented. Independent, specialist support capacity is needed now.
Derbyshire Constabulary FOI ref. 01/FOI/25/007578/G, December 2025The following figures are modelled conservatively using official published cost data. They do not represent projections or guarantees they illustrate the system cost avoidance possible when neurodivergent people are supported to navigate proceedings effectively.
These three scenarios are independent in practice, successful early intervention is likely to produce savings across all three pathways simultaneously. The combined conservative modelled saving across Scenarios A, B and C for a 12-woman pilot cohort is approximately £273,000 against a fraction of that in direct programme cost.
When individuals receive structured, trauma-informed advocacy focused on communication, evidence organisation and system navigation, they are significantly more likely to engage effectively with legal processes and secure appropriate representation.
ClearPath Justice is in active development. We are being deliberate about not moving faster than our governance and safeguarding frameworks allow. The timeline below reflects that commitment.
ClearPath Justice is in its founding phase. We are looking for people who believe this work matters and want to be part of making it real — whether that means contributing time, expertise, or financial support.
Steering Committee
We are actively recruiting founding steering committee members. This is not a ceremonial role — it is meaningful, and we are looking for people who want to be part of building something that lasts.
At this stage, ClearPath Justice is not approaching agencies for individual casework, crisis support, or formal advocacy services. We are focused on building the foundations that make ethical, sustainable delivery possible.
Become a Founder
We are crowdfunding our first £1,000 to expand our capacity, build our budget, and direct more resource into direct support. Every founder gets access to the research report, acknowledgement in the published findings, and an invitation to join the steering group.
Become a founderNo minimum contribution. All funders acknowledged in the published report. Independent foundations and individuals only — no government or institutional funding accepted.
Stay Updated
Not ready to commit but want to follow the work? We publish findings, evidence updates, and model developments as they happen — no paywall, no embargo.