Summary:

• Autism is a lifelong developmental disability.
• People with autism will have difficulties in the areas of communication, interaction and imagination, despite their level of intelligence.
• Around 2% of the general population have autism. The prevalence of people with autism who offend isn’t known and more work needs to be done in this area.
• Many people with autism who come in to contact with the criminal justice system will not have a diagnosis of autism.
• Autism is not a learning disability or a mental health condition. Some people with autism may have a learning disability and/or a mental health condition; this is sometimes referred to as co-morbidity.