“I'm just different–that's all–I'm so sorry … ”: Black men, ASD and the urgent need for DisCrit Theory in police encounters

Abstract

PurposeLimited research focuses on the challenges that exist at the intersection of race and dis/ability for Black men on the autism spectrum in encounters with law enforcement. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to fully comprehend and mitigate the complex challenges. This conceptual article presents Critical Dis/ability (DisCrit) Theory, a framework usually applied to education, as a lens through which to think about encounters between Black autistic men and police officers. The article concludes with recommendations for collaboration between social scientists, police scholars, law enforcement and the public to improve the outcomes of police encounters involving Black men on the autism spectrum.Design/methodology/approachUsing a literature review and analysis of current events, this conceptual article explores the intersections of race and disability, specifically neurodiversity, in policing using Critical Dis/ability (DisCrit) theory, and its predecessors, Intersectionality Theory and Critical Race Theory (CRT).FindingsAn interdisciplinary approach might be a potential solution to improve police encounters with Black autistic men. Expanding the theoretical frameworks utilized in scholarship about policing might allow for innovative approaches to examine current practices in law enforcement. Collaboration and critical dialogue may yield opportunities for further research and shifts in practice.Originality/valueThis conceptual article uses two incidents from recent events to highlight the need for increased scholarship around the intersections of autism and race, with a particular focus on Black autistic men. It advocates for the use of social science frameworks, namely DisCrit Theory, as a novel way to approach new research regarding race and dis/ability.

Why critical psychology and the neurodiversity movement need each other

“…While ABA is widely recognized as harmful within the Autistic community, the conversation is more nuanced for Autistic people facing other societal barriers. For instance, some parents of Black Autistic boys have a more complicated relationship with behavior-based programs, since their children have historically experienced police brutality at much higher rates, and “behavior” can be a matter of life and death for them ( Aucademy, 2021 ; Hammond, 2022 ; Hutson et al, 2022 ). Further, racial disparities exist within autism research, leading to poorer health outcomes for Black Autistic people especially ( Jones and Mandell, 2020 ).…”

Psychology’s Contributions to Anti-Blackness in the United States Within Psychological Research, Criminal Justice, and Mental Health

“…Ultimately, the persistent conflation of dangerousness, madness, and Blackness has continued to result in the deaths of Black people who need care and understanding, from the beating of Billy Ray Johnson to the killing of Elijah McClain (Glasrud, 2014;Hutson et al, 2022). Such moral failures reveal the need for psychology to deliberately address and re-imagine its relationship to justice if the field is to guide the nation towards practices and policies that center mental health and well-being.…”

Celebrating Neurodivergence amid Social Injustice

“…In my experience, the medical profession found it easier to construct me as a “battered woman” than Autistic, easier to construct me as “helpless,” “eating disordered,” or “without a father,” as reasons for my distress. Note that Autistic children of color are often constructed as “emotionally disturbed” before being able to access the label of autism (Kearl 2021), and, even if they receive the diagnosis, Black Autistic people are more vulnerable to criminalization and to be targets of police violence (Hutson et al 2022). This is not to say that abusive relationships were not harmful to me, or that I am beyond being affected by misogyny.…”