The prevalence of youth with autism spectrum disorders in the criminal justice system.

Storch et al. (2012) looked at court records for youth with autism. They wanted to know how many autistic kids end up in the justice system.

They compared crimes, court actions, and other diagnoses between autistic and non-autistic youth.

Autistic youth were charged with more person-crimes like hitting or pushing. Yet they were diverted to services more often than sent to trial.

They also had fewer additional intellectual disabilities than the non-autistic group.

Helverschou et al. (2018) later asked autistic adults about their own jail time. Their stories show the same misunderstanding A et al. saw in teens, proving the problem lasts past high school.

Smit et al. (2019) screened kids in secure homes and found about 13% flagged for autism. A et al. found autistic teens already in court, while J et al. caught them earlier in the pipeline.

Woodbury-Smith (2020) argues rising autism labels in prisons may just be better diagnosis, not more crime. A et al.'s court data support this: autistic youth aren't committing new waves of crime, they're entering a system that now notices them.

If you work with teens, expect some to reach court after social mishaps turn physical. Push for diversion programs that teach coping skills instead of punishment. Share the autism diagnosis early so judges see a kid who needs help, not a young criminal.