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Research suggests that sexual offending is one of the more common forms of offending behaviour committed by autistic individuals. Despite this, very little research has investigated approaches to rehabilitation for autistic individuals who have sexually offended. The small body of literature that does exist suggests that interventions to address sexual offending may not be sufficiently adapted for this group. In this paper we present an exploratory qualitative study that (i) explores how prison-based interventions to address sexual offending are experienced by autistic individuals with sexual offense convictions and the staff who work with them, and (ii) identifies and explores the features of prison-based sexual offending interventions that may be challenging or beneficial for autistic individuals, from the perspective of those involved in treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 autistic men serving prison sentences for sexual convictions, and 13 members of prison staff. A multi-perspective phenomenologically-informed thematic (MPT) analysis identified three themes of 'Feeling overwhelmed', 'Out of the comfort zone', and '(Dis)connected to others'. These themes highlight some of the key issues relating to the format and delivery of interventions, as well as the impact of the broader prison context on rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the special issue of the journal on trauma-informed care in forensic settings. We consider the contributions of each of the papers, followed by a discussion of the complexities of work in this area. We conclude by proposing three general principles that can be used to guide the ongoing development of trauma-informed forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that young people commit between 20% and 60% of sexual offences against children. While social isolation is a recognised risk factor for harmful sexual behaviour in young people, strong childhood attachments, developing social skills and belonging to peer groups are key protective factors. Community Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) is a community-based intervention that was originally developed for adults with sexual convictions and has now been adopted with young people who display harmful sexual behaviour. CoSA directly addresses issues of social isolation by providing individuals (known as Core Members) with a circle of social support made up of volunteers, professionals and a coordinator. There is now an established evidence base for CoSA with adults; the current study aims to explore the experience of a young person's CoSA. Interviews were conducted with a Core Member, their guardian (grandmother), CoSA volunteer and the CoSA Coordinator. Multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data, and three superordinate themes were established: (i) Contested self-change, (ii) Negotiating relational boundaries and (iii) Toward "normalcy". This research highlights the difficulties and complexities in working with this client group and sustaining the intervention's positives. It highlights that sustaining treatment gains without increasing the social capital and context in the individual's wider world can be challenging and can limit full participation within the intervention. The research demonstrates the importance of helping the Core Member experience safe, boundaried and meaningful relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that individuals with convictions are disadvantaged when trying to access the job market. People convicted of sexual offences face further prejudice and stigma given the nature of the most extreme examples of their offences. Desiring employment but being unable to secure it presents challenges for the individual. This study focused on the real and perceived barriers that twelve British men experienced while seeking employment with a criminal record pertaining to a sexual offence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with interview data analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes emerged. Stigma as a Barrier to Employment explored the impact of the disclosure of the sexual criminal record at interview and the enduring stigmatisation the participants faced as a result of the 'sex offender' identity. In the second theme, Autonomy and Control, participants sought to explain the personal significance of being employed, and how their inability to secure employment had resulted in the loss of autonomy and the introduction of self-isolating behaviours. Finally, they acknowledged having felt 'better off' in prison at times, due to the lasting effects of social exclusion. The implications of the research are discussed further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little research regarding the prison experiences of individuals diagnosed with autism. Extant literature suggests that prison presents numerous challenges for autistic prisoners. This research explored the experiences of seven autistic men in a UK prison that houses individuals who are serving sentences for sexual convictions. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured interview schedules. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with an applied inductive thematic analysis. The latter explicitly focuses on generating commonalities that emerge from the data that have practical (applied) utility. The analysis generated three superordinate themes: 'Interacting with others', 'Being in prison', and 'My autism'. Participants described both helpful and challenging aspects of the prison experience, and the findings give rise to important implications and considerations regarding the prison experience of autistic individuals. This paper concludes by outlining practical recommendations for prisons to improve the management and support of autistic residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prison-based democratic therapeutic communities (TCs) provide an alternative to mainstream prison, where prisoners can work on psychological difficulties and address offending behavior. Research demonstrates TCs are effective at reducing reoffending rates for residents who stay in therapy 18+ months, and those who drop out of TCs offend at a significantly higher rate than those who complete therapy. Thus, it is important to reduce attrition in TCs. No research has yet explored the explanations for TC drop out offered by those with sexual convictions. The present study uses Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to qualitatively explore the accounts of men with sexual convictions (n = 7) who dropped out of a TC in a UK prison. Results highlight that issues surrounding external responsivity, therapeutic relationships, and treatment readiness were salient in the participants' accounts of drop out. This research has implications for TCs seeking to better understand and address attrition of people with sexual convictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of individuals by religious authority figures has generated considerable political, civic and media attention. To date, much of this focus has been on Catholic and Anglican priests, although instances in the Buddhist community have also emerged. This paper presents an analysis of the experiences of individuals (n = 6) who were victims of abuse by Imams (Muslim leaders) and/or Muslim faith teachers. Participants were interviewed and their accounts analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This paper presents two superordinate themes that emerged from the rich data set: (i) Toxicity of silence and (ii) Barriers to the acknowledgement of abuse. Findings and implications of the research are discussed in relation to facilitating the reporting of abuse perpetrated by religious authority figures in the Muslim community. The authors argue that the difficulties for victims in reporting abuse have exacerbated the impact of the abuse, affecting their wellbeing and their relationships with their families and their faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]