Autism, School, and Crime

How school can lead those with autism into crime

Abstract

Background: This paper explores the ‘school-to-prison pipeline’ and aims to raise awareness about the vulnerabilities of young people with autism in society.

Methods: This study employs a creative empirical review that combines insights from educational settings with empirical evidence related to autism and crime.

Results: The paper addresses the following topics: (1) risk factors for offending behaviour, (2) the involvement of police with individuals on the autism spectrum, (3) social naivety and the concept of 'joint enterprise,' (4) stimming and repetitive behaviours, (5) types of crimes committed by individuals with autism, and (6) the lack of training for arresting police officers regarding autism.

Conclusions: It is acknowledged that not all individuals with autism engage in criminal activities; in fact, many are highly vulnerable to becoming victims of crime themselves. When arrested by police officers, individuals with autism can experience elevated levels of dysregulation, often resulting in meltdowns that may be misinterpreted as threatening behaviour. This misperception places them at greater risk of facing charges of assault and being detained under mental health legislation.