title: Offending profiles of individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A study of all individuals with autism spectrum disorder examined by the forensic psychiatric service in Norway between 2000 and 2010.
abstract: This study examined the characteristics of adults with autism spectrum disorder who have undergone a forensic examination and explored any relationships between the diagnosis and the offence. The reports described 41 men and 7 women. The autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed late (mean age: 25.3 years), and 22 of the 48 cases were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder for the first time by the forensic experts. The education level and employment status were low. Family networks were close, but social networks outside the family were limited. Co-morbid diagnoses were common, and more than half of the group knew their victims. The examined individuals constitute a vulnerable and heterogeneous group, as do offenders within other diagnostic categories. Unlike most others who commit criminal acts, the majority of the individuals with autism spectrum disorder in this study showed no evidence of substance abuse, had a close relationship to their victims and were willing to confess to the accused crime. No clear association between the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and the criminal act were identified, but in most cases, autism spectrum disorder characteristics, such as idiosyncratic comprehensions and obsessions appeared to be related to the motive for the offence.
authors.affiliation: Oslo University Hospital, Norway shelver@ous-hf.no s.b.helverschou@live.no.
authors.forename: Sissel Berge
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Helverschou
authors.affiliation: St. Olavs Hospital, Norway Norwegian university of science and technology, NTNU, Norway.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steindal
authors.affiliation: St. Olavs Hospital, Norway University College Sør-Trøndelag, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Søndanaa
authors.affiliation: Oslo University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: St. Olavs Hospital, Norway Norwegian university of science and technology, NTNU, Norway.
authors.forename: Jim Aage
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nøttestad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adults; autism spectrum disorders