Dis/ableist Criminology: Conceptualising the Social Harms Experienced by Neurodivergent Individuals who Have Encountered the Criminal Justice System

Macdonald, Stephen J. and Peacock, Donna (2026) Dis/ableist Criminology: Conceptualising the Social Harms Experienced by Neurodivergent Individuals who Have Encountered the Criminal Justice System. British Journal of Criminology. ISSN 0007-0955 (In Press)

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Abstract

This article examines the intersections between neurotypes, social harm, and criminality. By employing a mobile-biographical interpretive method, the lived experiences of three neurodivergent individuals who have previously engaged in criminal activity and with diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental dyslexia (dyslexia), and autism spectrum disorder (autism) are explored. The findings offer a detailed exploration of how discrimination has shaped the lived experiences of these participants. This study emphasises the role of social harms including educational trauma, poverty, interpersonal violence, homelessness, dis/ableism, and marginalisation, in creating pathways to offending. The analysis extends beyond individual deficits and illustrates the systemic and cultural factors that marginalise neurodivergent people.

Item Type:	Article
Dates:	Date Event 1 April 2026 Accepted
Subjects:	CAH15 - social sciences > CAH15-01 - sociology, social policy and anthropology > CAH15-01-02 - sociology
Divisions:	Law and Social Sciences > Criminology and Sociology > Criminology
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	22 Apr 2026 11:47
Last Modified:	22 Apr 2026 11:47
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16988

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