Identification and support of autistic individuals within the UK Criminal Justice System: a practical approach based upon professional consensus with input from lived experience.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (hereafter referred to as autism) is characterised by difficulties with (i) social communication, social interaction, and (ii) restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours. Estimates of autism prevalence within the criminal justice system (CJS) vary considerably, but there is evidence to suggest that the condition can be missed or misidentified within this population. Autism has implications for an individual's journey through the CJS, from police questioning and engagement in court proceedings through to risk assessment, formulation, therapeutic approaches, engagement with support services, and long-term social and legal outcomes.

Carotid intima-media thickness and the prediction of vascular events.

Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) has received interest as a predictor of cardiovascular events in recent years. Use of cIMT in a clinical setting is limited by the variability in measurement and the lack of evidence for its use in clinical risk prediction. This review examines the major studies that have assessed the relationship between cIMT and cardiovascular event risk and discusses the current role of IMT in cardiovascular risk prediction.