Criminalization

The process by which behaviors, identities, or survival strategies are defined as criminal, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities including disabled people. In accessibility contexts, criminalization creates access barriers when disabled people's survival strategies—such as certain forms of work, substance use for pain management, or non-compliance with institutional requirements—are treated as criminal acts. Criminalization also deters disabled people from seeking help, disclosing needs, or accessing services for fear of legal consequences, effectively cutting off access pathways that might otherwise support their wellbeing.