aspergers used as excuse too much

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i think that aspergers is used as excuse too much. will killers and computer hackers using it as a way to get out of trouble
aspergers is not that major of a thing people with it should still know the diffences between right and wrong.
people with aspergers should still be done under the extent of the law.


do you agree ?

It's not an excuse to break the law and damage another person's life or property. However, it is an explanation for certain things, like hacking. The logical side of Asperger's makes aspies good hackers. Combine that with their natural curiosity about logical and complex systems and some of them just can't help themselves. This doesn't make it OK, but it explains the existence of these tendencies within the hacking community.

Yes, I do. Asperger's doesn't impair moral reasoning; Aspies who break the law are virtually always as responsible for their own actions as NTs who break the law.

The one exception I can think of where Asperger's really might be to blame is when a socially naive Aspie is "put up to" an illegal act by a bully or an NT sociopath that they have mistakenly come to admire. Sometimes, when you are that naive, you really can end up giving in without realizing that what you are doing is illegal, or without thinking about it deeply enough to make a proper decision. These are minor crimes--things like public indecency when an Aspie girl is persuaded to flash somebody on a dare; or unwitting participation in crimes like shoplifting by an Aspie who doesn't realize that he has been persuaded to do something like distract the employees.

Someone with AS who hacks into a computer network understands that what he's doing is illegal. He may be so tempted that it is much harder for him to resist than it would be for an NT; but then, there are NTs who are very vulnerable to alcoholism and are similarly tempted toward crimes like drunk driving or public intoxication. If we don't excuse an alchoholic for driving drunk, we shouldn't excuse an Aspie hacker.

However, our justice systems should understand that criminals with disabilities often require accommodation within the justice system just as they do in everyday life. Providing an effective defense for an easily misled defendant is important. Protecting him from abuse by other prisoners--many of whom have the exact personalities of elementary-school bullies--is essential, perhaps even to the point of placing them in protective custody within a prison. And while AS should generally not be a factor in determining guilt or innocence, it may be a mitigating factor in sentencing. Just like an alcoholic may be sentenced to rehab rather than prison, a judge might consider that someone with AS would have had a harder time resisting a crime; the sentence for an AS hacker might include something like taking a class on computer ethics.

While I agree with mmcool, asperger's can explain a lot of things but should not be used as an excuse to get out of trouble. Though to some it may seem nearly impossible to be good parents of a child with asperger's, it is possible. Asperger's can be used to explain things such as poor handwriting/ fine motor skills, poor socialization skills, and poor gross motor skills (jumping, hopping, balancing etc.) but not as an excuse to break the law or do bad things to others. I am an Aspie and my parents raised me with respect and a clear sense or morality. So although I do have the above listed traits, I know what is right from wrong and I wouldn't dream of doing wrong to myself or other and using my asperger's as the excuse.

I was not aware that Asperger's was commonly used as an excuse for bad behavior.

I had an undiagnosed aspie rugby friend years ago who was an alcoholic

He went to the local petrol station @2am and stole 2 loaves of bread, walking up to the video survelliance camera, laughing like mad man with the loaves in hand, then running off into the night

In cases like this, I think autism or 'mental health' issues should used as an excuse for some crimes

It's a spectrum. It depends on how Autism and any co-morbids are expressed in the indivdual.

An ethical question would be: IS it humane to place a person with social impairments(due to a medical condition) amongst a general prison population...

I think there is a reason they are holding off on closing the Judge Rotenberg Center.

TheSunAlsoRises

Well, I think that Aspergers could sometimes be a valid reason for resisting arrest or assaulting an officer. If someone is in a stressful situation and they are touched unexpectedly, I would imagine it could result in a meltdown and in my experience, in full meltdown mode, my kids have pretty much no control over what they are doing...as their neuro puts it, they become a bundle of firing neurons. Sometimes they don't even remember what happened in the heat of it.

But yes, in general, I do agree that it is not an excuse for doing illegal things.

I know it's fiction but on the show Oz they had a mentally disabled man in with the other prisoners. He had brain damage from an injury and was mentally 5 years old. They did nothing to protect him from getting raped which he did. If that really happens in real life that is horrible.

the person would desurve it for the crime committed
they's no excuse for someone with aspergers to brake the law simple as that

if you are talking about Mckinnon, I would hardly call using a known default password hacking.. that is like breaking into a house if the owner gives keys to every one in the street..

also it depends on what law some laws for example does the laws discriminate people count in this and therefore if the law says a given demographic are second rate should you treat them as they are? and what about the stuff like ACTA and SOPA laws that degrade ones freedoms.. I agree that people with AS still have moral judgement however the law does not always coincide with morals.

Last edited by scorpileo on 28 Jul 2012, 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I wrote this thread for advice because I asked someone to ddos someone ease they us based and I'm UK based

I have edited my post so that I actually answer the question though il add more to it here

also what about acts committed in meltdowns and the like.. I wouldn't of said that they are in control of their actions also alot of law is basecon the social norm of a given coutry so people with autism can't truly expected to be able to abide in to the fullest degree.

I hope this heleps.

My advice to you young man, is that you appear to be excessively black and white

Degrees of guilt, and sharing of guilt with parents or wider society...... as well as severity of crime, and reparations, all need to be considered

thats why judges as default are older people

IF ANYTHING ASPERGERS IS NOT USED AS AN EXCUSE OFTEN ENOUGH!! !

Below I have provided a link that describes an unfortunate situation THAT John Elder Robison's son Cubby was in.

He gives a compelling factual story THAT illustrates HOW someone with Aspergers can find themselves in trouble with the law.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/us/na ... wanted=all

TheSunAlsoRises

if the company preses chargers
I would want the case to go smoothly
I don't want being in a childrens home and having aspergers
to have anything to do with the case as it drags the case I want a stranded case for a 15 year old