The Keeping Safe campaign aims to make police, youth offending teams, prisons and magistrates more aware of autism and, in particular, Asperger's syndrome.
Alan Bicknell, head of support programmes at the National Autistic Society, said: "There's still a lack of understanding of autism and Asperger's syndrome in the criminal justice system. Professionals may find it difficult to recognise and might not think about it, so we want to raise their awareness of the condition. It's not just about young perpetrators but also the victims of crime and witnesses."
The campaign, backed with £67,000 from the Co-operative Bank, plans to send packs about autism to 2,000 managers in criminal justice services and will also distribute postcards containing information about the condition.
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