The FT Magazine has an article just out about the UK’s Prevent programme (which is a counter-terrorism programme) and its impact on neurodivergent youth, particularly those with ASD.
It’s behind a paywall, but reference is here:
“Weaponised autism and the extremist threat facing children”, by Helen Warrell, 18 October 2024, Financial Times Magazine. https://www.ft.com/content/536c0f10-5011-4329-a100-c2035e32e602
This quote stood out for me:
It seems that a high number of minors with neurodiversity are being swept up in a programme designed to reduce the threat of violent extremism.
Why? The article goes on to state:
There is some consensus among forensic psychiatrists and criminal psychologists that, while people with autism and related conditions are less likely to break the law than their neurotypical peers, they may be more vulnerable to grooming and radicalisation.
There’s a lot to unpack in this article, including:
- Long waiting times for diagnosis on the NHS.
- How support is provided to those with ASD and particularly for children and under 18s, and their family and carers.
- How schools are equipped (or rather, not equipped) to handle neurodivergent pupils.
- The Prevent programme specifically and general policing of the internet from a civil liberties and cyber liberties perspective.
- Suicide risks for those with neurodivergence. This is particularly relevant with this FT article coming just a day after a gruesome case over a prolific catfisher that resulted in the suicide of a 12 year old girl was in the UK courts. [BBC]
There’s also a bit about the outlook for these children with ASD (regardless of diagnosis stage) into adulthood (at least in relation to the world of work):
As people with autism grow older, many excel in the workplace. But globally, adults with ASD experience high levels of unemployment.
I would also add underemployment (in this sense) in addition to being unemployed.
Dr. Devon Price’s book Unmasking Autism addresses many of the above points and more, with supporting research. [Duck Duck Go] [Google]. I very much recommend it to anyone that wants a better understanding of ASD.