I don't have a criminal record. I don't intend to go out of my way to find out what it is like to be arrested either. I have always been a law abiding individual in general, though I have got into all sorts of scrapes, through other people misunderstanding and misinterpreting my behaviour.
In that respect I can't say I know what I am fully talking about when it comes to dealing with the Police, but this doesn't stop other people discussing subjects of which they know little or nothing about so why should it stop me? Plus as well, there is the chance that I, just like anyone else, could have to deal with the Police at some point in my life. If this was to occur, I would at least have some idea of what to do. Whether I would cope or not without an appropriate adult being present is an entirely different matter. I would definitely need someone present with me to help with communication and interaction.
Both Autism and Asperger's Syndrome are hidden disabilities. The problem is they are not obvious disabilities like Down's Syndrome, being in a wheelchair, Cerebral Palsy or blindness. In fact, this makes people with the disability more vulnerable because their behaviour can be perceived to be odd or bad with things such as poor awareness of personal space, repetition of words, hand flapping, inappropriate or no eye contact and lack of flexibility of thought.
I would like to get any stupid notion out of the way that people with either Autism or Asperger's Syndrome are violent and likely to commit crimes. Those with Asperger's Syndrome or Autism are much, much more likely to be the victims rather than the perpetrators of crime. This arises due to several reasons but primarily their communication and interaction difficulties.
A few unpleasant individuals or unsavoury characters or even psychopaths could verbally, or even, sexually abuse them for their behaviour and difficulties, or misinterpret their behaviour, either accidentally or deliberately, and in some cases use this as an excuse to attack them physically. Some may even go as far as committing offences against AS/Autistic people as they are easy targets due to their vulnerability and the difficulties that they experience with making friends and communicating with others.
However, there are psychopaths/NT's of a criminal slant who will take advantage and may, after conning the person with the ASC into believing that they are their friend, commit a crime against them. If a crime is committed against a person with ASC, such as robbery, assault, fraud or harrassment, those with the condition may find it difficult to fully explain to the Police, who, due to lack of evidence or not fully understanding what the person with an ASC is saying or trying to say, may dismiss the complaint or not take it as seriously.
People with Asperger's Syndrome are usually loners. Those of a criminal slant may be gregarious. When committing relatively minor but still upsetting crimes they are accompanied by others. In a Police station it is the word of one person with AS or Autism against four or five NT's.
Regarding crime, particularly violent crime, theft or fraud, the most common offenders in society, and it isn't surprising, are Psychopaths, but a cross-section of people get involved in crime for a variety of motives and not every Psychopath is a criminal. There are a 101 reasons why people commit crimes but the main ones are revenge, theft to find money to fund a drug habit, Poverty, Sexual Reasons or Perversions, Somewhere to spend the winter if being homeless or just through sheer wickedness.
Doing wrong would trouble the conscience most people with Asperger's Syndrome whereas Psychopaths are without consciences altogether. Those with AS are usually too socially gauche, naive and inept to go long without being caught.
Asperger's Syndrome and Autism are both environmental and social conditions. If placed into such situations without any support, such as being on a packed out Bus, Train or in a packed-out shopping centre, those with these conditions may get stressed and start shouting or running to avoid the situation that is stressing them out. This may be misinterpreted, wrongly that they are disturbing the peace. The running may make NT's believe that the person with AS or Autism has committed theft and could lead to them making a call to the Police or even going as far as making a citizens arrest.
Due to feeling frustrated with the Police or other law authorities not taking their complaints or them seriously, in isolated cases individuals with AS would take matters into their own hands, which could lead them into getting into trouble. Someone with Asperger's Syndrome may get teased or harrassed by someone for far too long and may snap, committing assault or getting into a fight and getting charged for that offence. Some males with Asperger's Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism may find a female sexually attractive but often do not understand the process of chatting the female up, which is simple to most NT-brained individuals, or how to go about it.
