I’ve seen Autism used as the reason that some people commit a crime. It might be a factor but in some of these I just don’t see the connection. It has been used in everything from cyber crimes to violent murders.
Autism doesn’t mean you don’t have morals and it especially doesn’t mean that one can’t care about others. On the contrary, most Autism people care deeply about other people.
https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/1hafe7s/i_despise_when_people_use_autism_as_an_excuse_for/
it is really concerning to see most commenters taking the claim that autistic people are more likely to commit crime at face value, not only doing so without any data to back it up, but also unaware (or willfully ignorant) that the data says otherwise: autistic people are more likely to be victims of violent crime than allistic people. this is a dangerous narrative fueled by preexisting hatred of neurodivergent people that only serves to further marginalize us.
this kind of narrative is unfortunately the expected anywhere else, but seeing it play out in a forum specifically about autism is particularly upsetting. if you’re neurotypical and you’re spreading this here, kindly go fuck yourself (also go look for actual data, not biased anecdotes by sensationalist media); if you’re autistic, though, please please please do not believe this shit, you are the vulnerable side of autism, not the people around you.
I do think it is easier for Autistic people to get tricked into doing non violent crimes. They get involved with the wrong people and before you know it they are smuggling drugs and developing Ransomeware just to fit in.
cool story, but is there any data that corroborates that? i’m genuinely asking
Personal experience
Not with me but members of my family
This is the thing I worry about. I think it’s especially a problem for ADHD people. I can very easily imagine an autistic person who has been isolated and socially rejected being very worried about social judgement and rejection, so they end up participating in serious crimes out of fear of rejection.