Pre- and post-test participant demographics
| Category | Pre-test, n = 50 | Post-test, n = 42 |
|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | |
| Years in law enforcement | ||
| 0–4 | 3 (6%) | 10 (24%) |
| 5–10 | 11 (22%) | 16 (38%) |
| 11–15 | 9 (18%) | 6 (14%) |
| 16–20 | 14 (28%) | 4 (10%) |
| 20+ | 13 (26%) | 6 (14%) |
| Number of people personally known with autism | ||
| One person | 11 (22%) | 11 (26%) |
| Two people | 3 (6%) | 6 (14%) |
| Three or more people | 9 (18%) | 2 (5%) |
| No personal connection | 23 (46%) | 21 (50%) |
| Prefer not to state | 4 (8%) | 2 (5%) |
| Relationship to person(s) with autism | ||
| Friend | 7 (14%) | 4 (10%) |
| Immediate family | 6 (12%) | 5 (12%) |
| Extended family | 6 (12%) | 7 (17%) |
| Other | 5 (10%) | 3 (7%) |
| No personal connection | 23 (46%) | 20 (48%) |
| Prefer not to state | 3 (6%) | 3 (7%) |
| Estimated frequency of professional interaction with people with autism | ||
| Never | 1 (2%) | – |
| Once/year | 13 (26%) | 9 (21%) |
| Once/month | 12 (24%) | 16 (38%) |
| Once/week | 11 (22%) | 5 (12%) |
| Once/day | 2 (4%) | 1 (2%) |
| Unsure | 9 (18%) | 10 (24%) |
| Prefer not to state | 2 (4%) | 1 (2%) |
| Category | Pre-test, | Post-test, |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 3 (6%) | 10 (24%) |
| 5–10 | 11 (22%) | 16 (38%) |
| 11–15 | 9 (18%) | 6 (14%) |
| 16–20 | 14 (28%) | 4 (10%) |
| 20+ | 13 (26%) | 6 (14%) |
| One person | 11 (22%) | 11 (26%) |
| Two people | 3 (6%) | 6 (14%) |
| Three or more people | 9 (18%) | 2 (5%) |
| No personal connection | 23 (46%) | 21 (50%) |
| Prefer not to state | 4 (8%) | 2 (5%) |
| Friend | 7 (14%) | 4 (10%) |
| Immediate family | 6 (12%) | 5 (12%) |
| Extended family | 6 (12%) | 7 (17%) |
| Other | 5 (10%) | 3 (7%) |
| No personal connection | 23 (46%) | 20 (48%) |
| Prefer not to state | 3 (6%) | 3 (7%) |
| Never | 1 (2%) | – |
| Once/year | 13 (26%) | 9 (21%) |
| Once/month | 12 (24%) | 16 (38%) |
| Once/week | 11 (22%) | 5 (12%) |
| Once/day | 2 (4%) | 1 (2%) |
| Unsure | 9 (18%) | 10 (24%) |
| Prefer not to state | 2 (4%) | 1 (2%) |
Source(s): Authors’ own work