Prison is no place for someone with autism
I don’t think anyone is cut out for prison life, but those of us who are neurotypical would most likely find a way to survive. That’s not the case for those with autism. They are painfully ill equipped for the lights, noise, and often brutality that come with a prison sentence. In his book, “The Science of Evil,” author Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre said,
“Putting someone with autism behind bars is like dropping a wheelchair-bound individual with physical disabilities into a swimming pool and expecting them to cope.”
It’s simply inhumane, as an article in The Transmitter goes on to say:
“Prison holds particular dangers for people with autism. Those with autism can be prone to anxiety, inflexible thinking and sudden outbursts — traits likely to provoke the ire of others. For those with sensory sensitivities, the crowded, noisy spaces and bright lights of prison can exacerbate their anxiety and other traits. And many autistic inmates are oblivious to social cues that are critical to peacefully navigating the prison environment.”*
Prison is no place for someone with autism. But there are things parents and caregivers can do to keep their loved ones with autism safe in an encounter with the police and to prevent one. Some of that information I’ve already shared here:
Remembering names and details, talking about the police, and more
In last week’s newsletter, I shared that my 31 year-old son who has autism was arrested and charged with solicitation 19 months ago. I thought that this week, I’d give you the details along with a few important tips.
and here:
Let's talk about sex
As I’ve said, my now 33 year-old son was charged with solicitation in April 2023. As I’ve also said, he did not do what he’s accused of but, we can’t prove it. When it first happened, I sat at my desk thinking, Oh my God, my kid is accused of a sex crime
But what if the unthinkable should happen? What if your loved one should find themselves being stopped and questioned or even arrested?
It’s terrifying to think about and it’s not easy to talk about but, once again, that’s what it comes down to. You need to talk with your loved one now about the police and here’s what you need to tell them and work on with them:
Stay calm and stay silent. If you are stopped and questioned by the police, try not to panic. The same thing applies if you are arrested. Do not answer the many, many questions the police will shout at you. And they will shout, yell, and bully you. They might even change it up, play good cop and say, “I’d like to ask you some questions.” Don’t take the bait. Stay calm, and stay silent, except for the words “I want to speak to an attorney” and “I want to call my parents.” Do not volunteer any information except, if possible, to say “I have autism.” But that’s it.
Do not offer the police your cell phone thinking it will get them to see that they’re wrong to arrest you. They will arrest you and take your phone anyway. If you’re saying, “Here, take my phone, you’ll see I did nothing wrong,” it means you’re talking. And as I’ve already said, stay silent except to say I want an attorney, I want to call my parents, and I have autism.
Do not resist arrest. Do not give the police a hard time or any reason to rough you up. This can be very difficult for those with autism; their sensory sensitivities are tremendously heightened. Many don’t want to be touched. Others react to loud sounds (like officers yelling) or bright lights (like those on a police car). The experience of being arrested is absolutely terrifying for them and sadly, their behaviors in the moment are often seen by police as aggressive and suspicious, and the actions taken as a result can be dire.
Memorize the words “I want an attorney.” I do realize I’ve already said this, but THIS IS CRUCIAL. Almost all kids can memorize the words “I want an attorney” and “I want to call my parents.” I implore you to help them do this. If your child is nonverbal, see about getting them an ID that indicates that they have autism and are nonverbal. They can carry it in their wallet and/or place it in the windshield or on the dashboard of their car. (I don’t love IDs, more to come on that another time, but sometimes they’re the best we’ve got.)
Officers can and will lie. This comes as a surprise to many people, but it’s true. They can lie and they will do so to get your child engaged in conversation that they can and will use against him or her.
I realize that by asking you to work with your loved one on staying silent, not panicking, and not trying to explain themselves, I’m asking you to do the almost impossible. But if you work on it once a week, every week, it can stick. I’ve seen it with my son. For every time it doesn’t stick, for every time you want to say “That woman is crazy, this doesn’t work,” remember: the life you save could be your kid’s. Keep going!
Thank you for subscribing to LAWTISM: Autism. The Law. And What Parents Need to Know via Life on the Inside. To be clear, LAWTISM is a subsection of Life on the Inside. It’s just how Substack does things and I don’t mean to confuse anyone. I appreciate your comments and feedback and urge you to share this resource. Thank you again and see you next week!
I would like to add, the police are well within their rights to tell a suspect, "If you just tell us what happened, you can go home." Remarkably, this leads people to "confess" even if they are innocent, because their eyes are on the prize of going home, WHICH IS A LIE. Once someone has confessed, the police will stop investigating. And they will take the in custody suspect and arrest him for the crime AND NOT LET HIM GO HOME.