ASD and Unlawful Behaviour: Background

There exists a body of research that describes unlawful behaviour, including aggression, among people with ASD. However, the interpretation of this research is confounded by the different populations studied as well as different methodologies used. Consequently, drawing firm conclusions about fundamental questions—such as how many people with ASD come into contact with the criminal justice system, and what are some of the factors involved—is complicated. This introductory chapter will present a framework for the interpretation of this literature and offers suggestions as to how this framework might best be applied in the future.