Autism spectrum disorders and offending

Purpose - This paper seeks to offer a general review of offending and autism spectrum disorders from both the authors' perception of the media portrayal and the current evidence based research. Design/methodology/approach - The authors undertook a review of the current literature relating to autism spectrum disorders and offending and commented on current media reporting to try and offer a balance. Findings - Recent evidence suggests that there is unlikely to be an increased prevalence compared to the general population, but the presence of co-morbidities may increase the risk of violence. Originality/value - The paper offers a succinct overview of the current evidence base relating to autism spectrum disorders and offending.