Or the aggressive behaviour may be being used as a way of getting the desired outcome he needs ie. being secluded away from whatever the issue was. If he does not have the insight or skills to be able to identify stress triggers and know what to do to self calm or remove himself from the situation etc and reduce anxiety and stress, then his only 'learnt' option that works for him is being arrested and put in jail.
wow...sounds familiar....get an O.T. eval right away....your right about the learned behavior...but , what is the cause....sensory. He craves the feel of restraints.....O.T!!!
Unfortunately, without information as to why he is engaging in this aggressive behavior, it is difficult to determine how to effectively reduce the behavior. In addition, I’m reluctant to give any advice about trying to help change his behavior, as it sounds like his behavior his quite severe and it’s not unusual for changes in programs to result in at least initial increases in behavior severity or frequency.
In the case of severe or dangerous problem behavior, it is best to try and get help from a professional who has experience in assessment and intervention. I would recommend that you contact a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in your area and try to access services for this young man. The BACB website has a local service provider directory at:http://www.bacb.com/consum_frame.html
Best of luck