When autism and law enforcement meet
Recent articles
Why autism training for police isn’t enough
Inconsistent and underfunded training programs may hurt more than they help, experts say.

Why autism training for police isn’t enough
Inconsistent and underfunded training programs may hurt more than they help, experts say.
Autism behind bars
Prisons are often ill-equipped to handle autistic inmates, who are at risk for mental health problems and abuse.

Autism behind bars
Prisons are often ill-equipped to handle autistic inmates, who are at risk for mental health problems and abuse.
Model program could divert some 911 calls from police to mental health professionals
Denver, Colorado, is one of at least eight cities considering an Oregon program to decriminalize and improve the treatment of people with severe mental illness -- while saving the city money.

Model program could divert some 911 calls from police to mental health professionals
Denver, Colorado, is one of at least eight cities considering an Oregon program to decriminalize and improve the treatment of people with severe mental illness -- while saving the city money.
When autistic people commit sexual crimes
Many first-time sex offenders on the spectrum may not understand the laws they break. How should their crimes be treated?

When autistic people commit sexual crimes
Many first-time sex offenders on the spectrum may not understand the laws they break. How should their crimes be treated?
Why police need training to interact with people on the spectrum
Encounters between law enforcement and people with autism often go wrong, but some police departments are beginning to train their officers.

Why police need training to interact with people on the spectrum
Encounters between law enforcement and people with autism often go wrong, but some police departments are beginning to train their officers.
Training first responders to recognize autism may avert tragedies
A lack of training for first responders, combined with the communication difficulties of people with autism, can create dangerous misunderstandings.

Training first responders to recognize autism may avert tragedies
A lack of training for first responders, combined with the communication difficulties of people with autism, can create dangerous misunderstandings.
For teens with autism, behavioral issues boost risk of police run-ins
Young people with autism who have psychiatric problems may stand a ninefold greater chance of having an encounter with the police than do others on the spectrum.

For teens with autism, behavioral issues boost risk of police run-ins
Young people with autism who have psychiatric problems may stand a ninefold greater chance of having an encounter with the police than do others on the spectrum.
Down by law
A new study finds that Dutch children picked up by the police for minor offenses score higher than controls on a questionnaire measuring traits of autism.

Down by law
A new study finds that Dutch children picked up by the police for minor offenses score higher than controls on a questionnaire measuring traits of autism.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.

Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.

How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.

Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.