Abstract
The rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses increases somewhere between 10% and 17% each year (Baio, 2014), making this disorder the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015; Van Naarden Braun et al., 2015). In fact, one out of 68 U.S. citizens has an ASD diagnosis (CDC, 2015). This disorder consists of social and communication deficits, cognitive rigidity, and behavioral sequelae, all of which can vary in presence and severity across individuals with the disorder. These symptoms increase the likelihood that an individual will become entangled in the criminal justice system and can have a devastating impact on an individual’s capacity to participate in the legal process (Brown et al., 2016; Freckelton, 2012; Katz & Zemishlany, 2006; Mayes, 2003).
Recommended Citation
Brown, Jerrod
(2017)
"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Competency to Stand Trial (CST): A need for Greater Understanding and Further Research,"
Forensic Scholars Today: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/forensic_scholars_today/vol3/iss1/1