Invisible Indicators: Autism and Policing in the Chicago Area

Due to the spectrum of severity in autism, training law enforcement on how to best iden- tify and deescalate encounters with individuals with autism can be challenging. Little research exists on the quality and effectiveness of police interactions with individuals with autism. This paper gauges the nature of interactions between police officers and individuals with autism in the Chicago area and hypothesizes alternatives to best protect individuals on the spectrum during encounters with law enforcement. Through the use of semi-structured interviews with Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers, autism behavioral analysts, professors, and families with members on the spectrum, I find that interactions between individuals on the spectrum and law enforcement in and around the Chicago area are typically unproblematic. Specifically, I find that families who have had fewer interactions with CPD shared a more fearful and distrustful per- spective on law enforcement than those who have had more interactions with CPD. I also find that the majority of officers receive minimal training on dealing with individuals on the spectrum during basic training. Despite the lack of extensive training for autism, CPD officers felt com- fortable handling situations with individuals on the spectrum, employing de-escalation tactics used in other scenarios of crisis. I also find that officers can opt in to receive specific Crisis In- tervention Training (CIT), a 40 hour training program which teaches officers how to interact, in- tervene, and de-escalate situations with persons in crisis. I recommend the implementation of four policies: Mandatory CIT training for all officers offered yearly, open consultative relation- ship between CPD and mental health professionals, an autism registry, and a yearly program where individuals with autism and police officers can meet.