Statement given in response to a media enquiry on developmental and learning disabilities in prison (March 2015):

Developmental and learning disabilities present a real challenge to criminal justice agencies. Prison staff often do their best to respond to the complex needs of people in their care but few are comfortable with or adequately trained to deal with those suffering from such disabilities. The provision of support for such individuals depends on accurate and timely identification of their condition but sadly, this often does not happen. Even when these disabilities are identified, appropriate support is not always available. Prisoners with developmental and learning disabilities are unlikely to benefit from conventional programmes designed to address offending behaviour. Their behaviour may be treated as a disciplinary rather than a medical or treatment issue, and they can also be targeted by other prisoners when in custody. In many cases, their complex needs would be better met by mental health resources in the community.

It is estimated that at least 60% of young people in the youth justice system have communication needs (including autism).

Statistic from Sentence Trouble: http://www.sentencetrouble.info/