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Life on the‘inside’
Will Attwood was finishing a three-year prison sentence
when he was formally diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.
He has written a book to help people with Asperger’s cope
with life in jail.
T
itled ‘Asperger’s Syndrome
and Jail – A Survival Guide’,
Will wrote the book as a
practical guide for people with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who
are sentenced to time in prison.
He said writing the book was at
times confronting as he had to relive
much of his time ‘inside’.
“Nothing especially bad happened
to me, but there were times in jail
when I felt very intimidated, alone,
and bored,” he said.
“It wasn’t until I wrote my book
that I realised just how taxing the
whole experience had been.”
Will, who served time for robbery,
said he aims to shed light on topics
that are important for people with
ASD, such as how to act around other
inmates and prison guards, how to
avoid trouble, and what aspects of
the prison environment might cause
them anxiety.
“One of my main goals with the
book is for people with ASD to use
their diagnosis as leverage for a single
cell. People on the spectrum will
benefit massively from the down time
spent alone, in a single cell. Otherwise,
they have no genuine, uninterruptable
space to retreat to,” he said.
“If they can’t get a single cell,
the book can help them utilise
techniques to keep calm.
“I hope the book will help those
inside stay safe from bullying,
Will Attwood with
his book ‘Asperger’s
Syndrome and Jail –
A Survival Guide’.
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and almost as importantly, I hope
it will help families, friends and
health care providers who are
working with these people.”
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