Becoming cuckooed: conceptualising the relationship between disability, home takeovers and criminal exploitation

Macdonald, Stephen J., Donovan, Catherine, Clayton, John and Husband, Marc (2022) Becoming cuckooed: conceptualising the relationship between disability, home takeovers and criminal exploitation. Disability & Society. ISSN 0968-7599 (In Press)

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Abstract

This article explores the phenomenon whereby disabled people’s homes are being occupied (i.e. cuckooed) by local perpetrators and/or county lines organised criminal groups. This study employs a qualitative biographical methodology that collects data from disabled people who have been victimised this way and practitioners who have worked with them. The findings illustrate that social isolation, loneliness and a lack of community services can create a space where the exploitation of disabled people can flourish. We conclude by demonstrating that cuckooing predominantly occurs at a local level, perpetrated by local people, rather than by county lines organised criminal groups; that, in fact, local cuckooing can predate county lines takeovers.

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