Autism spectrum disorders and offending

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.

Citation

Gunasekaran, S. and Chaplin, E. (2012), "Autism spectrum disorders and offending", Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 6 No. 6, pp. 308-313. https://doi.org/10.1108/20441281211285955