Autism spectrum disorders and offending
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20441281211285955 |
| Published date | 16 November 2012 |
| Date | 16 November 2012 |
| Pages | 308-313 |
| Author | Santhana Gunasekaran,Eddie Chaplin |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care |
Autism spectrum disorders and offending
Santhana Gunasekaran and Eddie Chaplin
Abstract
Purpose – This paper seeks to offer a general review of offending and autism spectrum disorders from
both the authors’ perception of the media portrayal and the current evidence based research.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors undertook a review of the current literature relating to
autism spectrum disorders and offending and commented on current media reporting to try and offer a
balance.
Findings – Recent evidence suggests that there is unlikely to be an increased prevalence compared to
the general population, but the presence of co-morbidities may increase the risk of violence.
Originality/value – The paper offers a succinct overview of the current evidence base relating to autism
spectrum disorders and offending.
Keywords Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Media reporting, Offending, Prevalence,
Risk
Paper type General review
Introduction
In the last decade there has been an increased interest in offending by people with autism
spectrum disorders from clinicians and the wider community. This article looks at common
perceptions often portrayed within the media before examining the current evidence base
for evidence.
The trend towards sensational reporting of crimes committed by people thought to have
autism is becoming all too apparent with headlines such as ‘‘Mind terrorists’’ and ‘‘Cyber
vandals’’. This trend is beginning to mirror the disproportionate and often insulting treatment
of people who have or who are assumed to have mental illness by the media, e.g. headlines
such as ‘‘ Bonkers Bruno’’ and ‘ ‘Psycho cabbie’s rampage on CCTV’’. There has been a
tendency by media to sensationalise crimes associated with people who have autism
spectrum disorders. The consequence has been to turn many of the uninformed into lay
professionals (Palermo, 2003). What is not noticed often is the majority of reported crimes
involving people with autism are offences committed against them. This is a complex issue
that goes unnoticed and is not just about hate crime. It also includes crimes often motivated
by loved ones worried about support, care and the future and includes infanticide and
filicide by parents of autistic children who are believed to be at a higher risk than other
groups (Palermo, 2003). More recently there have been reports in the USA and UK of reports
of exorcism which in some cases have led to death or serious suffering as people feel the
person with autism is possessed.
Many of the crimes reported in the media are often associated with autism or Asperger’s
syndrome due to their atypical nature rather than for the significance of crime itself
(e.g. Arie Smith-Voorkamp charged with looting two light bulbs in the aftermath of the
Christchurch earthquake) and therefore offering a biased perception. Offences that are
PAGE 308
j
ADVANCES IN MENTALHEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
VOL. 6 NO. 6 2012, pp. 308-313, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 DOI 10.1108/20441281211285955
Santhana Gunasekaran is a
Consultant Forensic
Psychiatrist based at
St Andrew’s Healthcare
Nottinghamshire, UK.
Eddie Chaplin is the
Research and Strategy
Lead for the Behavioural
and Developmental
Psychiatry Clinical
Academic Group based at
the South London and
Maudsley NHS Foundation
Trust, London, UK.
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