Policy gaps and opportunities: A systematic review of autism spectrum disorder and criminal justice intersections.

The number of people with autism spectrum disorder has increased, and as this population ages, research is showing high rates of contact with the criminal justice system among this group. Social and communication differences that autistic individuals experience can act as a risk factor during these interactions, as shown by public reports of negative and violent encounters between autistic individuals and the law enforcement. There is a clear need for evidence-based strategies to reduce high rates of contact and to improve outcomes when an interaction occurs.

Measuring Police Officer Self-efficacy for Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently one of the most researched of all childhood developmental disorders and is receiving attention in many domains. The purpose of this study was to design and provide psychometric evidence for a scale that measures police officer self-efficacy for working with individuals with ASD. Psychometric properties of a scale designed to measure knowledge of ASD were also explored.

An Exploration of Law Enforcement Officers' Training Needs and Interactions with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Semi-structured interviews were employed to (a) characterize LEOs' knowledge of ASD, (b) understand interactions between LEOs and individuals with ASD, and (c) identify training needs to prepare LEOs for interactions with the ASD community. Researchers utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze data from 17 participants: (a) six LEOs, (b) six adults with ASD, and (c) five caregivers. Common themes included the (a) potential for misinterpretations of behavior of individuals with ASD; (b) helpfulness of an identification system/symbol for ASD; (c) need for interactive, mandatory training unique to LEOs' needs; and, (d) importance of building community connections between LEOs and individuals with ASD.