Autism in the Criminal Justice System

The Atlanta Autism Consortium's "Autism in the Criminal Justice System" program on November 16, 2023. Autism spectrum disorder prevalence continues rising, and as the ASD population enters adulthood, preliminary research has identified high rates of contact with the criminal justice system. Policy and programmatic reform are crucial given reported negative and violent outcomes for autistic individuals when encountering the criminal legal system. Parents of adolescents, young adults, as well as adults with autism often ask, "If my child is criminally charged as a 1st time offender, deemed non-violent and not dangerous, would I expect prosecutors and judges to consider their Autism during charging, plea negotiations, and sentencing? Would I expect prosecutors to offer a Diversion Program if the charges are directly related to their Autism?" During this program, a diverse team of autistics, family members, researchers, criminal justice system professionals, clinical professionals, and professionals in training discussed the need for legal reform at the federal and state level, and recognition of state laws that have passed. Other topics included: diversion, training for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals (e.g. judges, prosecutors, defenders, and law enforcement), pre-trial advocacy, mandatory minimums, and felony expungement. Moderators: Tyler Whitney, PhD Panelists: *Zachary Tackett, Michael Gilson and Julea Seliavski of the Autism Innocence Project *Brian Kelmar and Carol Nesteikis of Legal Reform for Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled The Atlanta Autism Consortium (AAC) is a nonprofit organization that provides free monthly programs and events for the autism community. For more information about the Atlanta Autism Consortium, please visit www.atlautism.org.