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half the people were arrested in London could not be diagnosed Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one study has suggested.
researchers of Cambridge University Offered to those detained at six o’clock London Metropolitan Police custody center voluntary screening For adhd and autism over an eight-week period.
The results showed that one in two people arrested in the capital scored high enough to warrant screening Further Evaluation for ADHDAnother 5 percent were thought not to have been diagnosed. autism,
The researchers behind the study said the results could help authorities interpret behaviors that may be “misinterpreted” and ensure appropriate support is provided.
According to the study published in the journal Neurodivergent, neurodivergent individuals – particularly autistic people and those with ADHD – are over-represented in the prison population. Criminal behavior and mental health,
Dr Tanya Procyshyn, research associate at the Center for Autism Research at the University of Cambridge, said: “To ensure fair treatment in the criminal justice system, we need to understand how neurodivergence affects interactions with the law. This can help to avoid unnecessary criminalization of misunderstood behavior and ensure that potentially vulnerable individuals are able to access appropriate support.”
Dr. Procyshyn and Dion Brown, a senior detective with the Metropolitan Police Service, co-led a study to explore the feasibility of screening arrested individuals for ADHD and autism-related symptoms and to examine the reasons for arrest.
ADHD symptoms were assessed using a modified version of the adult ADHD self-report scale. Autistic traits were assessed using the 10-item autism-spectrum quotient.
Those who scored above the threshold for ADHD or autistic traits were informed and given additional information about how to receive a formal diagnosis.
Of the 303 offered screening, 71 percent accepted and 8 percent already had an ADHD diagnosis. This is 3 percent more than the general population. Of those who scored above the threshold for ADHD, 17 percent had a very high number of ADHD symptoms.
Nine individuals (4.2 percent) had a current autism diagnosis, which is slightly higher than the prevalence of autism in the general adult population (3 percent). An additional 5.4 percent scored at or above the threshold for possible undiagnosed autism.
More than half (60 percent) had been arrested for drug offenses and had an existing diagnosis or positive screening result for ADHD. This supports previous studies, which have found that some neurodivergent individuals may self-medicate with illicit substances.
But research shows that people with ADHD are less likely to engage in criminal behavior when taking medication for ADHD.
Detective Brown said: “Early identification helps officers interpret behaviors that may otherwise be misinterpreted and ensures that appropriate support is provided. This approach creates opportunities to divert vulnerable individuals away from the criminal justice process and steer them towards the help they need.”