What you need to know
Autistic individuals that have been involved with police are more likely to be older, have a history of aggression, live outside the family home, and have parents with high caregiver strain and financial difficulty.
Most parents are satisfied with their children’s police interactions; however, future research is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
What is this research about?
Police officers play many different roles in the community. Past research has shown that individuals on the autism spectrum may interact with police at high rates, however, very little is known about why these police interactions take place, who may be at greater risk of interacting with police, and how involved individuals feel about these police interactions. This study aimed to better understand the police involvement of adolescents and adults with ASD.
What did the researchers do?
The researchers surveyed 284 parents of autistic adolescents and adults from across Ontario. Participants were recruited from ASD support agencies and advocacy groups, and from email lists associated with these organizations. Individuals on the autism spectrum ranged in age from 12 to 56 years old (averaging 18 years).
Parents completed an initial survey about their demographic information, their child’s health, and their level of caregiver strain. Then, parents completed five brief bi-monthly surveys and a longer final survey 12 to 18 months later about their child’s service use, including police interactions. All participants had the option of completing their surveys online, by telephone interview, or on paper; most preferred online surveys.
What did the researchers find?
Approximately one in six (16%) autistic individuals interacted with police at least once. Physical and verbal aggression directed at others in the community was the most common reason for police involvement (32%), followed by aggression in the family home (28%). In most cases, police assessed the crisis and left without any further action; however, physical restraints were used in approximately one in five encounters. Only three incidents resulted in the individual being taken into police custody.
Future collaborative research between police and members of the ASD community is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
Those who interacted with police were more likely to be older, have a history of aggression, live outside the family home, and have parents with higher ratings of caregiver strain and financial difficulty. Most parents (63%) reported being satisfied to very satisfied with their children’s police encounters.
The researchers caution that their sample was made up of mostly white parents with high levels of education and the results may not generalize to all families of individuals on the autism spectrum.
How can you use this research?
Community-based family supports and services for autistic adults may help prevent some police interactions. Clinical variables were not linked with police interactions, meaning that it is important for police to be prepared to interact with all individuals with ASD.
Likewise, it is important for all autistic individuals and their families to prepare for police interactions. Future collaborative research between police and members of the autism community is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
About the Researchers
Yona Lunsky Ph.D., C.Psych, clinician scientist, and Anna Palucka, Ph.D., C.Psych, clinical psychologist, are associated with the Adult Neurodevelopmental Service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario.
Elspeth Bradley, Ph.D., MB, BA, is a psychiatrist associated with the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario.
Jonathan Weiss, Ph.D., C.Psych, is an Associate Professor, and Ami Tint MA, graduate student, are associated with the department of psychology at York University in Toronto, Ontario.
Citation
Tint, A., Palucka, A. M., Bradley, E., Weiss, J. A., & Lunsky, Y. (2017). Correlates of Police Involvement Among Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 47:2639–2647.
This research summary was written by Ami Tint. This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP a102677). Dr. Weiss was supported by the Chair in ASD Treatment and Care Research (Canadian Institutes of Health Research RN162466-284208 in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance, Health Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet) and the Sinneave Family Foundation. This research summary, along with other summaries, can be found at asdmentalhealth.ca/research-summariesReproduced with the permission of Dr. Jonathan Weiss (York University). This research summary was developed with funding from the Chair in ASD Treatment and Care Research. The Chair was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance, Health Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet) and the Sinneave Family Foundation. This information appeared originally in the Autism Mental Health Blog (https://asdmentalhealth.blog.yorku.ca).
Autistic individuals that have been involved with police are more likely to be older, have a history of aggression, live outside the family home, and have parents with high caregiver strain and financial difficulty.
Most parents are satisfied with their children’s police interactions; however, future research is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
What is this research about?
Police officers play many different roles in the community. Past research has shown that individuals on the autism spectrum may interact with police at high rates, however, very little is known about why these police interactions take place, who may be at greater risk of interacting with police, and how involved individuals feel about these police interactions. This study aimed to better understand the police involvement of adolescents and adults with ASD.
What did the researchers do?
The researchers surveyed 284 parents of autistic adolescents and adults from across Ontario. Participants were recruited from ASD support agencies and advocacy groups, and from email lists associated with these organizations. Individuals on the autism spectrum ranged in age from 12 to 56 years old (averaging 18 years).
Parents completed an initial survey about their demographic information, their child’s health, and their level of caregiver strain. Then, parents completed five brief bi-monthly surveys and a longer final survey 12 to 18 months later about their child’s service use, including police interactions. All participants had the option of completing their surveys online, by telephone interview, or on paper; most preferred online surveys.
What did the researchers find?
Approximately one in six (16%) autistic individuals interacted with police at least once. Physical and verbal aggression directed at others in the community was the most common reason for police involvement (32%), followed by aggression in the family home (28%). In most cases, police assessed the crisis and left without any further action; however, physical restraints were used in approximately one in five encounters. Only three incidents resulted in the individual being taken into police custody.
Future collaborative research between police and members of the ASD community is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
Those who interacted with police were more likely to be older, have a history of aggression, live outside the family home, and have parents with higher ratings of caregiver strain and financial difficulty. Most parents (63%) reported being satisfied to very satisfied with their children’s police encounters.
The researchers caution that their sample was made up of mostly white parents with high levels of education and the results may not generalize to all families of individuals on the autism spectrum.
How can you use this research?
Community-based family supports and services for autistic adults may help prevent some police interactions. Clinical variables were not linked with police interactions, meaning that it is important for police to be prepared to interact with all individuals with ASD.
Likewise, it is important for all autistic individuals and their families to prepare for police interactions. Future collaborative research between police and members of the autism community is needed to ensure safe and successful interactions for everyone involved.
About the Researchers
Yona Lunsky Ph.D., C.Psych, clinician scientist, and Anna Palucka, Ph.D., C.Psych, clinical psychologist, are associated with the Adult Neurodevelopmental Service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario.
Elspeth Bradley, Ph.D., MB, BA, is a psychiatrist associated with the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario.
Jonathan Weiss, Ph.D., C.Psych, is an Associate Professor, and Ami Tint MA, graduate student, are associated with the department of psychology at York University in Toronto, Ontario.
Citation
Tint, A., Palucka, A. M., Bradley, E., Weiss, J. A., & Lunsky, Y. (2017). Correlates of Police Involvement Among Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 47:2639–2647.
This research summary was written by Ami Tint. This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP a102677). Dr. Weiss was supported by the Chair in ASD Treatment and Care Research (Canadian Institutes of Health Research RN162466-284208 in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance, Health Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet) and the Sinneave Family Foundation. This research summary, along with other summaries, can be found at asdmentalhealth.ca/research-summariesReproduced with the permission of Dr. Jonathan Weiss (York University). This research summary was developed with funding from the Chair in ASD Treatment and Care Research. The Chair was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance, Health Canada, Kids Brain Health Network (formerly NeuroDevNet) and the Sinneave Family Foundation. This information appeared originally in the Autism Mental Health Blog (https://asdmentalhealth.blog.yorku.ca).
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