title: Violence and sexual offending behavior in people with autism spectrum disorder who have undergone a psychiatric forensic examination.
abstract: The increased awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) over the last few decades as well as the potential association between ASD and offending behaviors has spurred a need for increased research in this area. In order to explore any possible relationship between ASD and violent or sexual crime the present study examines all forensic examination reports over a 10-yr. period in Norway where the charged persons were diagnosed with ASD and charged with either a violent (N = 21) or a sexual (N = 12) offense. Differences between these two groups regarding previous contact with child welfare and confessions to the offense were found. There was also a tendency toward more severe mental health problems and less intellectual problems among the violent offenders than the sexual offenders.
authors: 1 St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway and University College Sør-Trøndelag, Norway.
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Søndenaa
authors: Sissel Berge
authors: SB
authors: Helverschou
authors: Kari
authors: K
authors: Steindal
authors: Kirsten
authors: K
authors: Rasmussen
authors: Britta
authors: B
authors: Nilson
authors: Jim Aage
authors: JA
authors: Nøttestad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult