Youth Violent Offenders with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder often face interpersonal and learning challenges that are poorly understood by the public. Understanding how these individuals lose control to the point of engaging in violence and crafting effective interventions require further exploration of the medical and criminal justice systems. Investigating several challenging cases, we illustrate commonalities among the young offenders, including comorbidities, addictive behaviors, family histories, and adverse childhood experiences. All these reviewed cases have undergone medical assessment, with some incarcerated and others remaining free.