No but it should be considered when prosecuting and sentencing - 5 years in a prison for someone with severe autism is a much harsher sentence than for someone without.
The article makes the comparison with Navinder Sarao - another autistic person they thought was behind a $1trn market-manipulation scheme. Luckily he worked with the FBI, and the prosecutors recommended no prison time (he was sentenced to one year home confinement)
Simple prison is absolutely the wrong way to treat someone with autism. He should be punished, absolutely, but that punishment should include therapy and guidance that helps him find a better path in life.
I thought the comparison between the two cases was a bit odd. Sarao was able to assist the FBI significantly, which often results in a more lenient sentence. The total amount of money he earned illegitimately was a few million at most, not $1 billion, and regardless market manipulation is quite a different crime. How his Autism was handled wasn't nearly as big a factor as all the other differences.
No but it should be considered when prosecuting and sentencing - 5 years in a prison for someone with severe autism is a much harsher sentence than for someone without.
The article makes the comparison with Navinder Sarao - another autistic person they thought was behind a $1trn market-manipulation scheme. Luckily he worked with the FBI, and the prosecutors recommended no prison time (he was sentenced to one year home confinement)