Foreword by Dr. Clare Allely -- Introduction -- 1.Prevention -- A starting place -- Invisible fencing -- The hidden curriculum -- Emotional regulation -- Prevention and sex education -- Where are autistic people learning about sex? -- Self-advocacy -- Peer-mediated intervention -- Autistic peer mentoring -- Important touchstones in a prevention-based education curriculum -- Conclusion -- 2.Encounters with the police -- Police brutality -- Do autistic people require accommodations when being arrested? -- What do they know? -- The need for training -- Autism registries -- Identification cards or bracelets -- Virtual reality training -- Self-incrimination -- Autistic people as witnesses -- Autistic people as victims of crime -- Conclusion
3. Autism and the Adjudication Process -- The selection of an attorney -- Competency -- Skepticism -- Charge bargaining -- A different approach to obtaining prosecutorial discretion -- Finding the right experts -- The trap of comorbidity -- An autism expert is best -- The second forensic evaluation -- The argument for diversion -- Lesser included offenses or reduction of charge -- Guilty plea -- Presentence report (PSR) -- Sentencing -- Conclusion -- 4.The Aftermath -- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act -- Sex offender registry -- Autism and sex offending -- Issues of treatment -- Conclusion -- References -- Subject Index -- Author Index
Summary
For autistic people who find themselves facing a criminal charge, understanding how the features of autism may have contributed to their behaviour can be vital context for their defence. In this insightful book, Nick Dubin explores how and why autistic people get caught up in the criminal justice system. He delves into what steps can be taken to prevent autistic people committing crimes and what should be done to ensure their fair and appropriate treatment if they are charged with a crime. It covers everything from prevention to the aftermath of sentencing, including available counselling and therapy. Nick's personal experience and meticulous research shows that criminal justice can be an oppressive system that misunderstands and stigmatizes autistic people, especially low-risk individuals and those with less criminal responsibility
