By Dr Neil Alexander-Passe
This is the second of two articles on the ‘school to prison’ pipeline by Dr Alexander-Passe. The first introduced the topic and examined young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. You will find that article and more about the author here.
Linking neurodivergence to the school-to-prison pipeline by Dr Neil Alexander Passe
This second article will look at young people with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and autism. Both are medically diagnosed and commonly misunderstood in schools by teachers, leaders and other students. While there is medication for ADHD, it’s not always suitable or preferred, and comes with side effects such as insomnia, loss of appetite, and feeling numbed. It’s also now more common for ADHD and autism to be found together; the new term AuDHD is now being used to better understand that having both introduces new challenges to be understood. Finding suitable medication for those with AuDHD can be more problematic.
Why neurodivergent young people have difficulties at school
Working in schools as a SENDCO, I would always work closely with their behaviour team. I knew undiagnosed ADHD was extremely common with their clients, and both the lack of diagnosis and teachers’ misunderstanding about ADHD’s common traits—fidgeting, calling out, rocking on chairs, fighting, disruption—which often led to pupils getting more detentions, suspensions, and exclusions.
A recent book, ‘The Prison Counsellor,’ by Sarah Templeton*, detailed how nearly every client she saw in prison had undiagnosed ADHD. It’s well worth a read if this interests you. Young people with undiagnosed ADHD are likely to be the ‘naughty and disruptive’ pupils who exasperate teachers, unable to sit still and pay attention. However, these behaviours are likely to be the manifestation of being misunderstood, and if berated for something they cannot control, they will quickly become disillusioned and withdraw from learning.
ADHD is a medical disorder, best understood to be a dopamine deficit, a chemical imbalance. In many ways, this is similar to being a diabetic who cannot produce their own insulin. No one would question giving a young person insulin for their Type 1 diabetes, but many question giving medication to those with ADHD. These drugs, both stimulant and non-stimulant varieties, can help children and adults with ADHD to focus and sit still. They can calm the relentless random thoughts that overwhelm their brains and cause executive processing paralysis. Students with ADHD types ‘hyperactivity and impulsivity’ or the ‘combined’ subtype, mainly boys, are the ones who get into trouble the most. It’s hard for them to control impulsive calling out, hitting, breaking property without thinking, setting off fire alarms, or using abusive language, all of which trigger sanctions.
It has always surprised me that school behaviour and counselling teams are not part of the SEND team, where the lack of diagnosis normally leads to referrals to both services.
Teachers can help these children regulate, and to naturally produce the dopamine their bodies need. For example,
- allowing rest breaks
- a run around the playground between lessons
- using standing desks
- movement breaks
- silent fidget toys
But schools still require students with ADHD to sit still, stay quiet, and pay attention for lesson after lesson. No wonder, then, as soon as they are let loose in the playground, they can act in a silly way. It’s like holding a lion in a small cage and then suddenly letting it loose.
Why neurodivergent young people can fall into crime
Young people with ADHD can very easily fall into crime, especially if they remain undiagnosed and unmedicated. Their need for adrenaline can lead them to drug use, drinking high-caffeine drinks, fighting, property damage, abusive language, and reacting negatively to comments by teachers and peers. It can also mean bringing banned items into school without thinking such as blades. They will act without thinking (impulsive) and be surprised at how others react to them.
Data also suggests that many of those with undiagnosed SEND are removed to alternative provision (AP). Latest DfE figures show in 2024, 26.3% of pupils in state-funded Alternative Provision have an EHCP, while 57.1% are on SEN support. The other 17.8% have no recorded SEN, though on assessment, many are found to have additional needs. Despite the Equality Act 2010 and court rulings, strict school behavioural policies mean it’s easier to remove, rather than support and understand SEND needs, especially if they are undiagnosed. The much-reported 2-5-year-long CAMHS waiting list for autism and ADHD diagnosis is another piece in this broken picture.
Persistent Disruptive Behaviour
Without sufficient and appropriate support, pupils can go on to develop greater behavioural and/or mental health difficulties, often classed as “persistent disruptive behaviour”. It’s the leading cause of school suspension and exclusion. Latest government figures show PBD accounted for 51% of all reported reasons for school suspension and 38% of permanent exclusions. Many schools, particularly those with zero tolerance behaviour policies, are quick to exclude instead of investigate potential SEND needs. The Prisoners Education Trust says almost nine out of ten boys (88%) in custody said they were excluded from school. Almost two in five said they were younger than 14 years old when last at school.
I don’t know how many times I have sent out one-page SEND profiles to teachers in schools to highlight an autistic child’s needs, only for them to be dismissed and forgotten. In one case, a year nine autistic boy went into class to be suddenly told they were doing a group activity, and he needed to move seats. He didn’t understand why and wasn’t given any pre-warning (as I had advised the teacher). The boy began to argue with the teacher, and when she insisted he moved, he saw ‘red’ and had a meltdown. As a result, he pushed his books off his table (he has no recollection of the meltdown and how he reacted). The teacher standing nearby was hit by one of the books, fell back, and hit her shoulder on a nearby table. ‘On call’ was urgently called, and the boy was removed. The teacher wanted to classify this as an assault and have the school call the police. It took a huge amount of effort on my part to calm things down, explain that the teacher had disregarded the advice offered, and the boy was given a one-day suspension. This could have easily turned into the boy being arrested and charged.
The loud noises, smells, busy walls, and unpredictable change in mainstream classrooms can trigger sensory overload, so it’s no wonder many autistic children have regular meltdowns, and are unable to cope. They struggle with humour and people saying one thing and doing another. Constant classroom changes, especially in secondary schools, and many different teachers with different styles don’t help. Most teachers don’t understand autism and how they are the cause of most meltdowns, but instead blame the young person for how they respond!
Inappropriate responses to neurodivergent behaviours
Meltdowns can unintentionally cause harm to the child or others and to property. Sadly, many teachers and schools choose to use seclusion in another room, and/or restraint to cope with a young person they believe to be a safety risk. In many cases, the children are not large, out-of-control teenagers; they are also primary school-age, vulnerable children. In Scotland, Callum’s Law is a bill introduced this year in the Scottish Parliament to force schools to record any use of restraint. It’s based on the experience of 11-year-old Callum at a special school, who was restrained by four adults until he lost consciousness.
Obsessive behaviours, a common trait in autism, can easily lead to criminal offences. While obsessions with Lego or trains and so on are harmless and can even be helpful, without support, other obsessions can end in catastrophe. For example, a fascination with fire can lead to fire-setting and arson. An obsession with UFOs or with famous people could lead to unlawful hacking or stalking. ‘Mate crime’ can occur when friendship-seeking autistic or otherwise vulnerable young people are hoodwinked into taking packages to ‘friends of friends’ (not realising they contain drugs—county lines crimes). A desire for friendship cam also lead to inappropriate and sometimes abusive relationships. This can end in being charged for ‘joint enterprise’ for being in a group that commits a crime e.g. a robbery, assault, or even murder.
The National Autistic Society has researched how to help autistic young people in the youth justice system, the organisation Conviction also has help on its website and the charity, Autistica is also researching into autism and youth justice. There is also advice on Autism Central and an interesting article on the issue from Tristran Middleton here: Justice-Involved Children with SEND: Implications for Access to Identification and Support Through an EHCP? A Thought Piece.
I also have several books on the subject, and I’m delighted to offer a copy of each to SNJ readers. In 2023 I launched my latest book series on the ‘SEND: school-to-prison pipeline’ first with a book ‘Dyslexia, Neurodiversity and Crime’. In 2024 I published ‘ADHD and Crime’. In 2025 ‘Autism Awareness and Crime’ will follow. My books highlight the need for training on the ‘school-to-prison’ pipeline, and how, through the lack of awareness of literacy difficulties, ADHD, and autism, many can be unfairly blamed for many things out of their control.
I hope these two articles have given a flavour of how easily those with SEND can be drawn unintentionally into crime, and how it’s vital that schools never give up on a child.
Win a copy of Dr Alexander-Passe’s books.
Win either ADHD and Crime: Investigating the ‘School to Prison Pipeline’ (Dio Press) or Dyslexia, Neurodiversity, and Crime: Investigating the ‘School to Prison Pipeline’ (Dio Press)
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Also read:
- Why legal aid may now be available for SEND families challenging school exclusions
- How our alternative provision schools manage zero exclusions: We never give up
- Too many children arrive in AP with no needs assessment—schools need to be more curious about the “why”
- Updated exclusions and behaviour guidance and how a thoughtful school culture can avoid discriminating against learners with SEND
- Exclusion must be a last resort says EHRC as they support a family to justice over their disabled child’s treatment
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