ASD and offending: reflections of practice in from a New Zealand perspective
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDOB-07-2016-0012 |
| Date | 12 June 2017 |
| Published date | 12 June 2017 |
| Pages | 90-98 |
| Author | David Bathgate |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities,Offending behaviour,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Deviant behaviour,Education,Special education/gifted education,Emotional/behavioural disorders |
ASD and offending: reflections of practice
in from a New Zealand perspective
David Bathgate
Abstract
Purpose –There is growing awareness in New Zealand (NZ) of the impact that Autistic Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) has on individuals and their families and the ability to engage in health services. Although it is a relatively
rare condition, approximately 1 per cent of the population will have ASD, directly affecting approximately
40,000 individuals in NZ. The purpose of this paper is to provide some reflections and questions on what we
can learn from a NZ perspective. This is based on an overview of the limited literature around ASD and
offending and the author’s experience in the UK working in a medium secure unit.
Design/methodology/approach –Througha past site visit as part of the annual internationalconference on
the Care andTreatment of Offenders with an Intellectualand/or DevelopmentalDisability in the UnitedKingdom
(UK), the authorbecame aware of the medium secureforensic unit for male patients withASD at the Roseberry
Park Hospital(UK’s Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS FoundationTrust). During the author’sadvanced training
in forensic psychiatry with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists the author was
privileged to be able to applyand be accepted for a four-month sabbatical training position at this hospital.
Findings –Outlined is background information about ASD and review findings from the limited literature on
ASD and offending. Also outlined is the author’s learning as a trainee working in medium secure unit for
people with ASD who have offended, and finally how this experience may help in the development of services
in NZ, given that at this stage such services are under-developed.
Originality/value –To be able to share the valuable experienceand learning opportunity the author was able
to have, as well as raise the awareness of ASD generally, and specifically the need for specialist services for
the small number of people with ASD who come into contact with Justice Services.
Keywords Offending, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism spectum disorder, Forensic aspects,
Reflections of practice
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
As an Australasian trained psychiatrist working in the field of learning disabilities in the deep south
of New Zealand (NZ) over the last ten years, I have been aware of the limited and variable access
to services for people, particularly adults, with Autism. Services appear more limited for those
who come through the Justice Service.
In the NZ context, there has been limited development of services at a national level. In 2008, the
government published a position paper (guideline) on Autism. The focus of this paper was
predominately on children, with very little development of supports for assessment and
intervention for people, particularly for adults, with Autism (Ministry of Health, 2008). There is
family support network in NZ (Autism NZ) (www.autismnz.org.nz/) and that there had been a
professionals group (Altogether Autism) (www.altogetherautism. org.nz/). From mid-2014
behaviour support services for any person already diagnosed with Autism and who has
serious challenging behaviour related to that Autism have been provided by a national service.
In the UK there has been comprehensive legislation and associated strategies implemented in
relation to people with Autism. The Autism Act 2009 provides a statutory guide to provisional
diagnosis of Autism in adults and training of staff to provide services for adults with Autism.
The related strategy was updated in 2014 and is focussed on increasing the awareness and
Received 28 July 2016
Revised 23 September 2016
Accepted 20 April 2017
David Bathgate is a Consultant
Forensic Psychiatrist at the
Southern District Health Board,
Dunedin, New Zealand; and is a
Clinical Senior Lecturer at the
University of Otago, Dunedin,
New Zealand.
PAGE90
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JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR
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VOL. 8 NO.2 2017, pp. 90-98, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8824 DOI 10.1108/JIDOB-07-2016-0012
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