The frequency and clustering of autism-related behaviors during encounters between the police and the autism community

Abstract

PurposeThis paper intends to examine the behaviors autistic individuals display during police encounters, determine if there are differences in those behaviors by age and gender, then examine if any behaviors cluster or frequently co-occur.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the Survey of Parents and Caregivers of Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and focusing on a subsample of respondents who report that their autistic loved one has had prior police contact, the authors examine the frequency and clustering of behaviors displayed by autistic individuals during police encounters. The authors use chi-square tests of independence to examine age and gender differences and latent class analysis to assess behavioral clustering.FindingsThe findings show that many behaviors that autistic individuals display during police encounters are associated with social communication and interaction difficulties, such as failure to maintain eye contact and difficulty answering questions. Many of these overlap with police training on deception, compliance and passive resistance. Moreover, the authors find that there are age differences in two behaviors, fidgeting and not responding to one's name. Lastly, the authors find that many of these behaviors cluster in unexpected ways, adding a layer of complexity to encounters between the police and autistic individuals.Originality/valueTraining police officers, autistic individuals and their loved ones on interactions with the police is critical for positive outcomes. Without details on what occurs inside a police encounter, constructing those trainings is difficult. While this study provides only a small glimpse into police encounters with the autistic community, it is a first step toward understanding these multifaceted interactions better.

The informal, nonorganizational ways police officers receive training on encounters with autistic individuals

“…, 2013; Vivanti and Rogers, 2014), such as gestures, body posture and eye contact. Additionally, scholars have shown that in police encounters, autistic individuals may have difficulty with back-and-forth communication and may communicate in a delayed or unusual manner (Wallace et al. , 2022).…”

“…(2017) and Tint et al. (2017)), but few studies can speak to what happens inside an encounter (for exceptions, see Wallace et al. (2022) and Watson et al (2022)).…”

“…Two studies however, document what happens inside a police encounter with an autistic individual. Wallace et al. (2022) found that, during police encounters with autistic individuals, the behaviors of individuals with ASD sometimes presented in ways that would clearly convey ASD to the officer.…”

“…Autistic individuals commonly face challenges related to awareness, understanding and reacting to cues relevant for social behavior and social understanding (Nuske et al, 2013;Vivanti and Rogers, 2014), such as gestures, body posture and eye contact. Additionally, scholars have shown that in police encounters, autistic individuals may have difficulty with back-and-forth communication and may communicate in a delayed or unusual manner (Wallace et al, 2022). Together, these challenges may hinder interactions between police officers and autistic individuals.…”

Police contact with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities: a special issue introduction

“…Next, using caregiver-reported information on the behaviors displayed during police encounters by individuals with ASD, Wallace et al. (2022) detail the most commonly occurring behaviors of individuals with ASD when interacting with police and conducted a cluster analysis to determine which behaviors typically co-occur.…”