Autism, Advocates and Law Enforcement Professionals: Recognising and Reducing Risk Situations for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders
| Pages | 45-46 |
| Date | 01 February 2003 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668203200300009 |
| Published date | 01 February 2003 |
| Author | Hilary Brown |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
The Journal of Adult Protection Volume 5 Issue 1 • February 2003 © Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Limited 45
This book arose out of the state of Maryland’s autism
awareness programme for law enforcement officers and the
ideas it contains are timely for UK police forces working on
their support to vulnerable adults as victims, witnesses and
potential offenders. It is written primarily for police officers
although it will also be of use to relatives, service providers
and advocacy services. The book is divided into two parts: the
law enforcement perspective and the citizen’s perspective.
Part one sets out basic information for professionals
throughout the criminal justice system on how to recognise
and respond to people with autism: clarifying its neurological
basis and lifelong nature and putting to rest the myth that it is
a consequence of poor parenting. The book explains how and
why confrontation with a police officer might lead to an
escalation of any odd or difficult behaviour. It describes
common instances of police involvement in the lives of people
with autism caused by misinterpretation of their behaviour
and confusion about its origins, as well as situations such as
tracing someone who has gone missing or strayed
inadvertently onto another’s property.
The book provides advice to police officers responding at
the scene of an incident and ways of promoting understanding
through registration and medical identity tags. A chapter deals
with issues arising in interviews, false indicators of guilt and
the pressures that might lead to a false confession, although
this section would need to be read alongside more detailed
research-based studies of capacity, suggestibility and
confabulation. The material is inevitably specific to an
American context and would need to be used alongside UK-
specific guidance on interviewing vulnerable adults. A later
chapter in this section explores autism awareness training
programmes for the police as part of a wider commitment to
disability awareness.
Book review
Autism, Advocates and
Law Enforcement
Professionals:
Recognising and
Reducing Risk
Situations for People
with Autism Spectrum
Disorders
Dennis Debbaudt
London: Jessica Kingsley
2002
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