How well do young offenders with Asperger syndrome cope in custody?

Accessible summary • Many people with Asperger syndrome face life being misunderstood and having their intentions misinterpreted. • For people who have Asperger syndrome in prison this position is compounded. • This article is based on a research paper that sought to make explicit the type of problems encountered by prisoners with Asperger syndrome. • The findings in this paper reflected limited resources are available for prisoners with autistic spectrum disorders and suggest further research is required for this position to be addressed. This article is based on a study undertaken in 2005. It was conducted under the supervision of Professor Carolyn Kagan and with the approval of an ethics committee from the department of psychology and speech pathology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Case examples are explored of two male young offender prisoners who have Asperger syndrome (AS). Their perception of prison life and issues related to them are discussed and the types of problems they encounter in prison that are attributable to their developmental differences are highlighted. Potential areas for future research that became apparent during the study are noted at the conclusion of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]