Skip to main content

Violence Prevention

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Law
  • 1089 Accesses

Abstract

The term ‘violence prevention’ has a specific meaning in relation to public health initiatives, comprising primary, secondary and tertiary levels all of which will have relevance when considering violent behaviour among those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Embedding violence prevention in relation to ASD in the broader theories of violence and public health-driven topics offers full consideration to those more generic prevention and intervention strategies that might be appropriate for this population. Consequently, therefore, this chapter proceeds along the route of general theories of violence and the applicability of these to ASD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allely, C. S. (2017). Violence is rare in autism: When it does occur, is it sometimes extreme? Journal of Psychology, 151(1), 49–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Allely, C. S. (2018). A systematic PRISMA review of individuals with autism spectrum disorder in secure psychiatric care: Prevalence, treatment, risk assessment and other clinical considerations. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 8(1), 58–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allely, C. S., & Faccini, L. (2017). Rare instances of individuals with autism supporting or engaging in terrorism. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending, 8(2), 70–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anda, R. F., Felitti, V. J., Bremner, J. D., Walker, J. D., Whitfield, C., Perry, B. D., … Giles, W. H. (2006). The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 256(3), 174–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1978). Social learning theory of aggression. Journal of Communication, 28(3), 12–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, B., & Tyrer, P. (2012). The cost-effectiveness of the dangerous and severe personality disorder programme. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 22(3), 202–209.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barry-Walsh, J. B., & Mullen, P. E. (2004). Forensic aspects of Asperger’s syndrome. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 15(1), 96–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, D. W. (2015). The natural history of antisocial personality disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 60(7), 309–314.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Blair, J., Sellers, C., Strickland, I., Clark, F., Williams, A., Smith, M., & Jones, L. (1996). Theory of mind in the psychopath. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 7(1), 15–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blair, R. J. (2003). Neurobiological basis of psychopathy. British Journal of Psychiatry, 182, 5–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burgess, R. L., & Akers, R. L. (1966). A differential association-reinforcement theory of criminal behavior. Social Problems, 14, 128–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, T., Yiend, J., Fahy, T., Fitzpatrick, R., Rogers, R., Fazel, S., & Sinclair, J. (2011). Treatments for dangerous severe personality disorder (DSPD). Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 22(3), 411–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butchart, A., & Mikton, C. (2014). Global status report on violence prevention 2014. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/status_report/2014/en/.

  • Dein, K., & Woodbury-Smith, M. (2010). Asperger syndomre and criminal behaviour. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 16, 37–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duke, N. N., Pettingell, S. L., McMorris, B. J., & Borowsky, I. W. (2010). Adolescent violence perpetration: Associations with multiple types of adverse childhood experiences. Pediatrics, 125(4), e778–786.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Esbensen, F.-A. (2009). Evaluation of the teens, crime and the community and community works program. Retrieved from https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228277.pdf.

  • Everall, I. P., & Le couter, A. (1990). Firesetting in an adolescent boy with Asperger’s syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 284–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eyestone, L. L., & Howell, R. J. (1994). An epidemiological study of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and major depression in a male prison population. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 22(2), 181–193.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faculty of Public Health. (2016). The role of public health in the prevention of violence. Faculty of Public Health: London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fazel, S., & Danesh, J. (2002). Serious mental disorder in 23 000 prisoners: A systematic review of 62 surveys. Lancet, 359, 545–550.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fazel, S., Hayes, A. J., Bartellas, K., Clerici, M., & Trestman, R. (2016). Mental health of prisoners: Prevalence, adverse outcomes, and interventions. Lancet Psychiatry, 3(9), 871–881.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fazel, S., Langstrom, N., Hjern, A., Grann, M., & Lichtenstein, P. (2009). Schizophrenia, substance abuse, and violent crime. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 301(19), 2016–2023.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fazio, R. L., Pietz, C. A., & Denney, R. L. (2012). An estimate of the prevalence of autsm spectrum disorders in an incarcerated population. Open Access Journal of Forensic Psychology, 4, 69–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2003). Resilience to childhood adversity: results of a 21 year study. In S. S. Luthar (Ed.), Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities (pp. 130–155). Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Freud, S. (1961). Civilization and its discontents. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 21, pp. 1–182). Hogarth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., & Viding, E. (2009). Antisocial behavior from a developmental psychopathology perspective. Development and Psychopathology, 21(4), 1111–1131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, Y., Glenn, A. L., Schug, R. A., Yang, Y., & Raine, A. (2009). The neurobiology of psychopathy: A neurodevelopmental perspective. Development and Psychopathology, 54(12), 813–823.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grotstein, J. S. (1982). The specturm of aggression. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 2(2), 193–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunter, T. D., Arndt, S., Wenman, G., Allen, J., Loveless, P., Sieleni, B., & Black, D. W. (2008). Frequency of mental and addictive disorders among 320 men and women entering the Iowa prison system: Use of the MINI-plus. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 36(1), 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hare, D. J., Gould, J., Mills, R., & Wing, L. (1999). A preliminary study of individuals with autistic spectrum disorders in three special hospitals in England. National Autistic Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hecht, L. K., Latzman, R. D., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2018). The psychological treatment of psychopathy: Theory and research. In D. David, S. J. Lynn, & G. H. Montgomery (Eds.), Evidence-based psychotherapy: The state of the science and practice (pp. 271–298). Wiley-Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heeramun, R., Magnusson, C., Gumpert, C. H., Granath, S., Lundberg, M., Dalman, C., & Rai, D. (2017). Autism and convictions for violent crimes: Population-based cohort study in Sweden. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56(6), 491–497, e492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyvaert, M., Maes, B., & Onghena, P. (2010). A meta-analysis of intervention effects on challenging behaviour among persons with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(7), 634–649.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodgins, S. (1998). Epidemiological investigations of the associations between major mental disorders and crime: Methodological limitations and validity of the conclusions. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 33(Suppl. 1), S29–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgins, S., Mednick, S. A., Brennan, P. A., Schulsinger, F., & Engberg, M. (1996). Mental disorder and crime: Evidence from a Danish birth cohort. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53(6), 489–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, K., Bellis, M. A., Hardcastle, K. A., Sethi, D., Butchart, A., Mikton, C., … Dunne, M. P. (2017). The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health, 2(8), e356–e366. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(17)30118-4.

  • Im, D. S. (2016a). Template to perpetrate: An update on violence in autism spectrum disorder. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 24(1), 14–35.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Im, D. S. (2016b). Trauma as a contributor to violence in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 44(2), 184–192.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, G., Faraone, S. V., Wozniak, J., Tarko, L., Fried, R., Galdo, M., … Biederman, J. (2017). Symptom profile of ADHD in youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: A comparative study in psychiatrically referred populations. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21(10), 846–855.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, H., Herrenkohl, T. I., Lee, J. O., Hemphill, S. A., Heerde, J. A., & Skinner, M. L. (2017). Gendered pathways from child abuse to adult crime through internalizing and externalizing behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(18), 2724–2750.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan, B. M., Newman, L. K., Gray, K. M., & Rinehart, N. J. (2016). Parents of children with ASD experience more psychological distress, parenting stress, and attachment-related anxiety. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(9), 2979–2991.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl, K. A., & Hoffman, M. B. (2011). The criminal psychopath: History, neuroscience, treatment, and economics. Jurimetrics, 51, 355–397.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • King, C., & Murphy, G. H. (2014). A systematic review of people with autism spectrum disorder and the criminal justice system. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(11), 2717–2733.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klein Haneveld, E., Neumann, C. S., Smid, W., Wever, E., & Kamphuis, J. H. (2018). Treatment responsiveness of replicated psychopathy profiles. Law and Human Behavior, 42(5), 484–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, P., Halldner, L., Zetterqvist, J., Sjolander, A., Serlachius, E., Fazel, S., … Larsson, H. (2012). Medication for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and criminality. The New England Journal of Medicine, 367(21), 2006–2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, B. P., & Kennedy, C. H. (2014). Assessment and treatment of challenging behaviour for individuals with intellectual disability: A research review. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 27(3), 187–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lochner, L., & Moretti, E. (2004). The effect of education on crime: Evidence from prison inmates, arrests, and self-reports. The American Economic Review, 94(1), 155–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz, K. (2002). On aggression. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lugo Marin, J., Alviani Rodriguez-Franco, M., Mahtani Chugani, V., Magan Maganto, M., Diez Villoria, E., & Canal Bedia, R. (2018). Prevalence of schizophrenia spectrum disorders in average-IQ adults with autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(1), 239–250.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, S. R. (1974). Durkheim’s theory of anomie. American Journal of Sociology, 80(2), 329–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menninger, K. A., Mayman, M., & Pruyser, P. (1963). The vital balance. Viking Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menninger, W. W. (2007). Uncontained rage: A psychoanalytic perspective on violence. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 71(2), 115–131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ogilvie, C. A., Newman, E., Todd, L., & Peck, D. (2014). Attachment & violent offending: A meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(4), 322–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palermo, M. T. (2013). Developmental disorders and political extremism: A case of Asperger syndrome and the neo-nazi subculture. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 13(4), 341–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plaut, E. A. (1984). Ego instincts: A concept whose time has come. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 39, 235–258.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, L., Spencer, M. D., Thomson, L. D., Stanfield, A. C., Owens, D. G., Hall, J., & Johnstone, E. C. (2012). Evaluation of a screening instrument for autism spectrum disorders in prisoners. PLoS One, 7(5), e36078.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, J., Viding, E., Blair, R. J., Frith, U., & Happe, F. (2006). Autism spectrum disorder and psychopathy: Shared cognitive underpinnings or double hit? Psychological Medicine, 36(12), 1789–1798.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J., Ozonoff, S., & Maslin-Cole, C. (1991). A comparative study of attachment behavior in young children with autism or other psychiatric disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30(3), 483–488.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rutgers, A. H., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Swinkels, S. H., van Daalen, E., Dietz, C., … van Engeland, H. (2007). Autism, attachment and parenting: A comparison of children with autism spectrum disorder, mental retardation, language disorder, and non-clinical children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35(5), 859–870.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruzich, E., Allison, C., Smith, P., Watson, P., Auyeung, B., Ring, H., et al. (2015). Measuring autistic traits in the general population: A systematic review of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) in a nonclinical population sample of 6,900 typical adult males and females. Molecular Autism, 6, 2.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sewall, L. A., & Olver, M. E. (2019). Psychopathy and treatment outcome: Results from a sexual violence reduction program. Personality Disorders, 10(1), 59–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Charman, T., Chandler, S., Loucas, T., & Baird, G. (2008). Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: Prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(8), 921–929.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sroufe, L. A., Carlson, E. A., Levy, A. K., & Egeland, B. (1999). Implications of attachment theory for developmental psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 11(1), 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strydom, A., Bosco, A., Vickerstaff, V., Hunter, R., PBS Group a.s., & Hassiotis, A. (2020). Clinical and cost effectiveness of staff training in the delivery of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) for adults with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and challenging behaviour—Randomised trial. BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, C. J., & Jolliffe, D. (2014). Peer influence, mentoring and the prevention of crime. In B. C. Welsh & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of crime prevention (pp. 207–225). Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumner, S. A., Mercy, J. A., Dahlberg, L. L., Hillis, S. D., Klevens, J., & Houry, D. (2015). Violence in the United States: Status, challenges, and opportunities. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 314(5), 478–488.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tantam, D. (1988a). Lifelong eccentricity and social isolation. I. Psychiatric, social, and forensic aspects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 777–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tantam, D. (1988b). Lifelong eccentricity and social isolation. II: Asperger’s syndrome or schizoid personality disorder? British Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 783–791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vollm, B. (2009). Assessment and management of dangerous and severe personality disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 22(5), 501–506.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Westphal, A. (2016). Trauma and violence in autism. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 44(2), 198–199.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woodbury-Smith, M., Clare, I. C., Holland, A., Kearns, A., Staufenberg, E., & Watson, P. (2010). Circumscribed interests among offenders with autistic spectrum disorders: A case-control study. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 21(3), 366–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodbury-Smith, M., Clare, I. C. H., Holland, A. J., Kearns, A., Staufenberg, E., & Watson, P. (2005). A case-control study of offenders with high functioning autistic spectrum disorders. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 16(4), 747–763.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodbury-Smith, M., & Dein, K. (2014). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and unlawful behaviour: Where do we go from here? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(11), 2734–2741.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2002). World report on violence and health. World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2010). Violence prevention: The evidence. World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, Z., Zheng, P., & Zou, X. (2018). Association between schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autism Research, 11(8), 1110–1119.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zielinski, D. S., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2006). Ecological influences on the sequelae of child maltreatment: A review of the literature. Child Maltreatment, 11(1), 49–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Woodbury-Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Woodbury-Smith, M. (2021). Violence Prevention. In: Volkmar, F.R., Loftin, R., Westphal, A., Woodbury-Smith, M. (eds) Handbook of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Law. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70913-6_25

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics