NeuroJustice: Helping neurodiverse Victorians navigate police interactions with confidence
In 2022, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO led a covert, online sting operation against a thirteen year old boy with autism, who had a preoccupying interest in overseas extremism. Law enforcement failed to recognise that the Victorian boy’s intense fixation was a byproduct of his autism, rather than anything imminently threatening to anyone’s safety, and charged him with terror offences. According to the Victorian children’s court magistrate, this course of action “fed his fixation” and “doomed” the rehabilitation efforts of the boy and his family. This example highlights some of the vulnerabilities that neurodiverse people, including those with autism and ADHD, possess when interacting with law enforcement agents and agencies.
Cyberstonomy, a home-grown cyber consultancy and research organisation specialising in neurodiversity and digital safety education, is looking to address this challenge head on with NeuroJustice, their personalised digital education platform designed to help neurodiverse Victorians safely navigate encounters with police. Co-designed with the neurodiverse community and made possible with a $50,000 Telematics Trust grant, NeuroJustice promises to help close the education gap between police officers and neurodiverse people, improving public safety in a way that is accessible, engaging, and grounded in empathy.
Empowerment through interactive education
Neurodiverse people, including those with autism and ADHD, often express sensory and communication differences compared to neurotypical people. These differences can manifest in many ways, but in an encounter or interaction with police they can be misinterpreted as defiance, noncompliance or aggression. Misunderstandings like these can quickly escalate into traumatic, dangerous and criminalising events.
While current training focuses solely on educating police officers, very little is done to help neurodiverse individuals safely navigate these stressful encounters with confidence. Cyberstronomy, in recognition that the path to empowerment is through education, has devised NeuroJustice around interactive, scenario-based activities that realistically simulate common police encounters, including ID checks, interviews and roadside stops. AI-powered adaptive pacing, simplified language, and clear visual and auditory cues are integrated to ensure maximum understanding, while gamification and narrative storytelling elements will lead to continued engagement from the neurodiverse community.
The use of cutting-edge AI technologies within NeuroJustice will create a tailored content delivery experience for those using the platform, with pacing, language complexity and sensory load all optimised to each individual’s learning and communication style, reducing anxiety and improving outcomes.
A long-term plan
Grant assistance from Telematics will mean that the NeuroJustice project can now move forward through the necessary production stages laid out by Cyberstronomy. These stages include all-important co-design workshops with neurodiverse individuals, families, advocates, and Victoria Police, curriculum development, pilot testing and evaluation, before engagement with schools, advocacy organisations, and justice sector partners to promote long-term adoption. Dr. Paul Watters, CEO of Cyberstronomy, had this to say when asked about the collaboration with Telematics:
“The Telematics Trust grant was genuinely transformative for the NeuroJustice project. It's enabling us to turn research and lived experience into a practical, accessible digital platform that empowers neurodiverse Victorians to safely and confidently navigate interactions with law enforcement. By supporting co-design with neurodiverse individuals and the use of adaptive, AI-driven learning, the Trust helped us address a critical gap – equipping vulnerable people themselves with the knowledge, confidence, and self-regulation tools needed in high-stress encounters. We are deeply grateful for Telematics’ commitment to inclusive, technology-driven education that delivers real social impact.”
A world-first in Victoria
With 1 in 35 Victorians on the autism spectrum, interactions between law enforcement and neurodiverse people are only increasing. Once implemented, the world-first NeuroJustice platform will help make sure that these interactions are as safe as possible, and represents the latest strides made in Cyberstronomy’s commitment to using emerging technologies to solve complex social challenges.
To learn more about Cyberstronomy’s research and consulting work, and to stay up todate with developments on NeuroJustice and other projects, visit the Cyberstronomy website.