Forensic and criminal justice health system issues from intellectual disabilities and autism perspective

Introduction

The special issue is relevant for everyone involved in researching or supporting people with intellectual disabilities/autism who are involved (or in danger of becoming involved) with the criminal justice or forensic health systems. The special issue welcomes submissions on the latest international research and policy, as well as practical advice about working effectively with these groups who often fall in the gap between mainstream and forensic services.

List of Topic Areas

Submissions welcome (but not limited to):

• the nature of intellectual, learning and developmental disabilities and offending behaviour – recent research, epidemiological issues, the nature and type of offending and cross-cultural comparisons
• treatment approaches – what works?
• diagnostic issues
• risk assessment and management
• needs and views of service users and carers
• the above as focused on autism.

Guest Editor

Verity Chester,
Hertfordshire Partnership NHS University Trust, University of East Anglia, UK
[email protected]

For an informal discussion or queries, please email the Guest Editor, Verity Chester at [email protected] or the journal's Commissioning Editor, Thomas Barker, at [email protected].

Submission Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here:

Submit via ScholarOne

Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see:

Author guidelines

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

Key Dates

Opening date for manuscript submissions: 18th March 2026

Closing date for manuscript submissions: 31st July 2026