[Three criminal cases with Asperger's disorder: how their handicap was reflected in their antisocial behaviors]

Three patients with Asperger's disorder who were sent to Juvenile Court for sexual offenses are presented, and the relationship between this disorder and their crimes is discussed. All three adolescents showed unusual behaviors related to their crimes. The analysis of these cases suggested: 1) the idiosyncrasies seen in the crimes were closely related to their social deficits and obsessive traits, which are the two major problems in pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), 2) their offensive behaviors were not the direct results of their deficits due to PDD, and 3) their criminal behaviors should be understood in the unique context that is specific to PDD, not from conventional psychological viewpoints. Finally, current problems associated with PDD in Japan are discussed.