Language is a critical mediator of autistic experiences within the criminal justice system.
Courts need built-in, person-specific language checks to keep autistic clients from unfair outcomes.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Larson et al. (2023) wrote a position paper. They argue that every autistic person needs their own language check before court.
The paper says courts must build language rules into policy. This would make justice fair for autistic adults and teens.
What they found
The authors did not run new data. They state that without tailored language help, autistic people face worse outcomes in court.
They call for policy that embeds one-person-at-a-time language checks, not one-size-fits-all forms.
How this fits with other research
Tuzzi (2009) studied Italian texts and showed autistic writing has unique grammar and word use. Larson et al. (2023) use this evidence to say courts must adjust for these patterns.
Somerton et al. (2022) found that Kazakhstani specialists hold wrong ideas about autism. The new paper answers that gap by pushing policy-level language fixes.
Wakabayashi et al. (2006) proved the Autism-Spectrum Quotient works across cultures. Caroline et al. echo that idea, saying language tools must also be culturally tuned for justice settings.
Why it matters
If you write court reports or testify, ask for a private language profile for your autistic client. Note if they take questions literally, need extra wait time, or use scripts. Share these details with the judge, probation, or guardians. One clear accommodation—like allowing written answers—can keep a routine court date from turning into a detention.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add a brief language-strength note to your next court letter—list one support, like extra processing time.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by social communication challenges and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, but also by highly heterogeneous language skills. The recent International Society of Autism Research (INSAR) policy statement, Autism and the Criminal Justice System: Policy opportunities and challenges (INSAR, 2022), aims to prevent, reduce, and improve interactions between autistic individuals and the criminal justice system. This policy statement provides a foundation for considering how to include language in these important aims. In this commentary, we outline the centrality of language skills to these interactions and provide specific recommendations that can inform future research and provide guidance for autistic individuals, community partners, and individuals working within the criminal justice system. Considering language as a part of justice system policy for autistic individuals will result in greater equity and inclusion, particularly for autistic individuals with co-occurring language deficits and those who are linguistically diverse. Moreover, it will allow autistic individuals to combat other barriers to effectively navigating interactions with the criminal justice system, such as those related to the core features of autism. We advocate for a greater role for service providers who can assess challenges in language skills, and identify the specific accommodations each autistic individual will need to prevent, reduce, and improve interactions with the criminal justice system.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2023 · doi:10.1097/HTR.0000000000000434