Autism campaign targets justice professionals
Tom Lloyd
Monday, March 10, 2008
Criminal justice professionals are to be targeted by an information campaign about young people with autism.
Young people with Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, are considered more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system than their peers.
The National Autistic Society is launching the campaign, which is backed by the Co-operative Bank, to help those in the criminal justice sector recognise autistic behaviours, and respond to them.
It will be aimed at police officers, magistrates, youth offending team workers, and others who are likely to come into contact with young people.
The campaign is an off shoot of a campaign aimed at young people with autism, Keeping Safe.
Alan Bicknell, head of support programmes at the National Autistic Society, said: "This campaign can instruct criminal justice professionals on how to communicate better, reduce anxiety and build better relationships with people with autism so they are less likely to become victims or perpetrators of crime."
The National Autistic Society is launching the campaign, which is backed by the Co-operative Bank, to help those in the criminal justice sector recognise autistic behaviours, and respond to them.
It will be aimed at police officers, magistrates, youth offending team workers, and others who are likely to come into contact with young people.
The campaign is an off shoot of a campaign aimed at young people with autism, Keeping Safe.
Alan Bicknell, head of support programmes at the National Autistic Society, said: "This campaign can instruct criminal justice professionals on how to communicate better, reduce anxiety and build better relationships with people with autism so they are less likely to become victims or perpetrators of crime."
