VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL OFFENDING BEHAVIOR IN PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER WHO HAVE UNDERGONE A PSYCHIATRIC FORENSIC EXAMINATION

The increased awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) over the last few decades as well as the potential association between ASD and off ending 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 off enders than the sexual off enders.