Published on 12, July, 2020
I am totally prepared to start a campaign if there is not one to support ASD Adults going to court on criminal convictions. There are NO specialist solicitors. The Police are dreadful not trained completely for ASD. The courts need to improve advocate support inside then just a solicitor alone then generally get guilty pleas instead of looking at the whole. ASD sadly do not always have a voice and always go along with solicitors bad advice. I would like to see solicitors and courts support cases where ASD and social isolation to be taken seriously in any charges and always seek reports as protocol when is known ASD person is before the courts. Can anyone help me know how to improve the system where guilty pleas are forced then the truth and innocence is lost due to ASD going along with early guilty pleas when innocent to criminal convictions then the entire?
I have to disagree really. Resources will differ area to area of course but I posted here last year when I was in a situation of facing imprisonment. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones but my social worker found a specialist lawyer she happened to know. He was very good and my result was three years community order and not prison.
I agree that the police aren't geared up for auties same as the prison service aren't but they are getting better. The officer who dealt with my case took time to learn and get to know me and has changed his viewpoint of me, if anything at all maybe I have taught him that you don't achieve anything by shouting or intimidating or belittling people.
The courts can provide advocates as can the police. If I am interviewed (and it is proably the same for a lot of people here) by the police as an offender or a witness I must have an appropriate adult there,
Through more awareness the police and other agencies might learn something like if you have Asperger's and don't look someone in the eye when being asked a question does not at all mean you are lying! That's one of the most common struggles I feel.