ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on people with autism who are residing in prisons in the UK. Prisons pose unique challenges for the person who has autism and also for the staff working with them. Autism can go unrecognised in prisons and even when it is, the current availability of formal diagnostic assessment and appropriate support is not always ideal. The current chapter focuses on prison related issues associated with the proper identification and assessment of autism, the prison environment, vulnerabilities, and sensory challenges that may be experienced by people. We end by discussing available support, as well as highlighting additional developments that are needed to improve the experience of people with autism in prison, with a view to helping reduce risk of reoffending and gaining access to appropriate autism informed support and assistance in the future. Staff training and timely access to diagnosis are crucial to strategic planning in the future.
