<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2117852/open_sms">Send us a text</a></p><p>Carol Nistakis shares her family's painful journey through the justice system after her autistic son was manipulated into illegal activity by a neighbor. </p><p>Her decade-long fight for justice led her to cofound D3, an organization helping families navigate the unique challenges autistic individuals face in legal proceedings.<br><br>• Began advocating when son was diagnosed at age 2, ensuring proper education and support<br>• Son functioned at age 10 level but was active in Special Olympics and held a part-time job<br>• 2012 incident led to 19 felony charges that were eventually reduced to one misdemeanor<br>• Court showed little interest in son's diagnosis despite extensive documentation<br>• Plea deal resulted in 2 years probation and 10 years on registry<br>• Son lost access to Special Olympics, recreation activities, and eventually his job<br>• Family was separated as son could no longer live at home due to restrictions<br>• Financial burden depleted savings meant for son's long-term care<br>• After 10 years, Carol secured a pardon and expungement without legal help<br>• Advocates for special courts with judges trained to understand autism<br>• Stresses that behaviors are manifestations of disability, not criminal intent<br>• Current autism rate is 1 in 31 children, making justice system reform urgent<br><br>Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me, the world, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.<br><br><br></p><p>https://tonymantor.com<br>https://Facebook.com/tonymantor<br>https://instagram.com/tonymantor<br>https://twitter.com/tonymantor<br>https://youtube.com/tonymantormusic<br>intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild<br>Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)</p>