Exploring Inquests

This project was funded by the Three Guineas Trust and was in collaboration with the charity INQUEST. It was led by Prof Sara Ryan.

We interviewed 20 people who had experience of attending an inquest when their family member had learning disabilities, was autistic or had mental ill-health.

We found the inquest process is unjust and creates a space in which autistic people and people with learning disabilities and/or mental health are further dehumanised. This generates further injustices for families.

Academic papers

Ryan, S., Ribenfors, F., Mikulak, M. and Coles, D., 2025. Between epistemic injustice and therapeutic jurisprudence: Coronial processes involving families of autistic people, people with learning disabilities and/or mental ill health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 47(2), p.e13855.