Autism and the Criminal Justice System:

 

Policy Opportunities and Challenges

 

A Policy Brief Prepared for the International Society for Autism Research 

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Background

Although the last two decades have seen an increase in awareness and the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder, policy, and practice to meet the needs of this group across the lifespan have not consistently kept pace. Autistic individuals are interacting with the justice system at high rates with varying experiences, which impacts their ability to participate fully within their communities. To address this issue, the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) has funded an initiative led by Lindsay Shea, DrPH, director of the Policy and Analytics Center and Cpl. John Burke, an instructor at the Philadelphia Police Department Training and Education Services Bureau to write a policy brief on autism and the criminal justice system.

To begin this work, the Global Autism and Criminal Justice Consortium was assembled to utilize the expertise and experience of international and interdisciplinary team of researchers, policymakers, criminal justice system professionals, self-advocates, and family members to catalyze four prongs of activity:

About this Project and Brief

This policy brief is sponsored by the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR).

This policy brief and project would not be possible without the efforts of an international team including researchers, policymakers, practitioners, justice professionals, autistic self-advocates, and parents of autistic individuals. A list of these individuals and their respective institutions/organizations can be found below, organized by country. Thank you to all of our partners in this work.