The signing ceremony for the UAVDI procedure with the Guardia Civil in Aragón took place this Friday at the Government Delegation in Aragón. The procedure will apply to the Judicial Police and Intelligence units of the Guardia Civil in Aragón’s three provinces and will establish a coordinated response to situations in which cognitive, intellectual or communication difficulties may limit a person’s understanding of the proceedings or ability to provide testimony.
The guidelines provide for their application regardless of the role the person occupies in the criminal proceedings. They may be activated when the person is a victim, complainant, witness, informant, suspect or detainee, guaranteeing in all cases the support needed to facilitate their participation and the effective exercise of their rights.
Atades president Susana Álvarez Roy said, “this procedure represents an important step forward in ensuring that people with intellectual disabilities and autism can engage with the justice system on equal terms.” She also stressed that “the main objective is to remove barriers that may prevent a person from understanding the proceedings, exercising their rights or correctly explaining what happened. Truly accessible justice requires procedures that take individual abilities and needs into account.”
PROCEDURE
When an officer becomes aware or suspects that a person may have any of these circumstances, they must record the possible need for support, inform the competent Judicial Police unit and explain to the person that they may request the involvement of a UAVDI Aragón psychologist trained to facilitate communication.
From that point on, the Guardia Civil and UAVDI Aragón will coordinate an assessment of the person’s abilities and support needs. This evaluation will identify possible difficulties related to comprehension, memory, attention, language or communication, as well as design the adjustments needed to adapt police proceedings to each person’s characteristics.
These adjustments may include the use of more accessible language, adapting the questions, timing and setting of the interview, or incorporating technical support to reduce the barriers identified. The aim is to ensure that the person understands what is happening and can express themselves as fully as possible.
When the circumstances of the case warrant it, the statement may be given with the support of UAVDI Aragón professionals in its Gesell Room. In this space, the interview can be recorded and monitored by the officers in charge from the other side of the one-way mirror. The technical team will subsequently prepare the corresponding report on the person’s abilities and required support and, where appropriate, the testimony report.
URGENT OR UNPLANNED INTERVENTIONS
The procedure also regulates urgent or unplanned interventions. In these situations, the nature and seriousness of the case, the person’s protection and the needs of the investigation will be assessed to determine whether the action can be postponed until the UAVDI Aragón technical team is available. When this is not possible, safety will be prioritized and the possibility of subsequently expanding the statement with appropriate support will be considered.
The initiative’s main contribution is to turn the collaboration between both parties into an organized and consistent system throughout Aragón. As a result, the activation of support will not depend solely on isolated actions, but on criteria previously defined and known by the professionals responsible for intervening.
In the short term, the procedure is expected to improve the identification of people who need support, streamline coordination and enhance the quality of interviews and statements. In the medium term, it will help consolidate more accessible, rights-based and tailored police assistance, while providing greater security for people with disabilities, their families and the professionals themselves.
