Difficulties in detecting people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities detained by the police in the City of Buenos Aires

People with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities are overrepresented in criminal justice. The lack of an adequate identification in the early stages usually lasts throughout criminal processes. Objective: to determine how many people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities who were detained suspected of committing a crime were detected by the police medical staff in the City of Buenos Aires. Materials and methods: retrospective observational study of 70 cases of detainees. Results: the sample studied was of 47 detainees. Of those, 29 had a diagnosis of intellectual disability and 18 of psychosocial disability. Police medical staff conducted 61 evaluations. Only in 8% of the evaluations carried out, a disability was detected. In no case supports and / or adjustments were implemented in the criminal procedure. Strategies to improve early identification of people with disabilities in criminal justice should be implemented.