The police
People living with Autism often like to follow strict rules and so are more often the victims of crime rather than the perpetrator.
Although, sometimes they come to the attention/have ‘trouble’ with the police due to:
- Anxious or odd behaviour in the community
- ‘Challenging behaviour’ or a risk of harm to self or others when their anxieties have escalated
- Special interests which are perceived to be inappropriate
- Unusual or Inappropriate use of language or body language
- Inappropriate personal boundaries – especially online
- Difficulty in processing information at normal speed may mean that someone with autism is labelled as being uncooperative
An Autism Alert card can be very helpful in all situations but especially if your son or daughter comes into contact with the police. The Autism Alert card states their name, the fact they have autism (with some Autism facts) and also has key contacts on who the police should call.
If they are interviewed it is important that an Appropriate Adult is present and if they require a solicitor it is essential that the solicitor is experienced in Autism and the law.