Inclusive Justice Taskforce

Singapore's Inclusive Justice Taskforce is a cross-sector review body launched by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) on 8 January 2026. It examines how people with disabilities and mental-health conditions can be better supported when they are at risk of offending or interact with the criminal justice system, including as accused persons, victims or witnesses. The initiative grew from a call for an inter-agency approach to “invisible disabilities”; it is a review and recommendations body, not a court, legal-aid scheme or new sentencing tribunal (MinLaw, 8 January 2026).

Membership and remit

The taskforce brings together lawyers, policymakers, law-enforcement officers, social-service professionals, healthcare experts, community partners and disability or caregiver advocates. Its multidisciplinary composition is intended to connect legal procedure with clinical, social and lived-experience perspectives rather than treat disability support as a single-agency justice issue (MinLaw, 8 January 2026; MinLaw, 4 February 2026).

Criminal-justice stages under review

The announced review spans the pre-offending stage, criminal investigations, court processes, sentencing and post-sentencing support. The taskforce is expected to take stock of existing measures, identify gaps and propose potential reforms for the Government to consider. This scope does not itself change criminal liability, evidentiary rules, sentencing powers or access-to-counsel rules; those remain governed by the relevant legislation, courts and existing support schemes (MinLaw, 8 January 2026).

Status and relationship to other support

MinLaw said on 4 February 2026 that the taskforce had been formally launched, comprised representatives from the public and private sectors, and had started its work; it would provide an update on progress or recommendations in due course. In a 16 March 2026 speech, MinLaw described the taskforce as continuing to study support for accused persons, victims and witnesses. The taskforce is therefore distinct from existing measures such as the Mandatory Treatment Order, the Appropriate Adult Scheme and prison or community support, which are examples of current measures that its review may consider rather than programmes created by the taskforce itself (MinLaw, 4 February 2026; MinLaw, 16 March 2026).

The public status remained a review in progress as of 13 May 2026: the Prime Minister referred to the MinLaw taskforce as drawing on public agencies, legal professionals and community partners to identify and close gaps in an inclusive justice system, without announcing final recommendations or enacted reforms (MinLaw, 13 May 2026). This later reference updates the status trail but does not establish a completion date or change the taskforce's advisory and review character.

Distinction from the Inclusive Justice Law Centre

The Inclusive Justice Law Centre, launched by Pro Bono SG with support from a private foundation in March 2026, is a separate ground-up legal-support initiative. MinLaw presented the Centre as providing tailored legal awareness, guidance, representation and specialist services, while the taskforce remains the broader review body examining system-wide gaps and possible reforms. One does not replace or automatically enrol a person in the other (MinLaw, 16 March 2026).