What We Do

AAA4IDD is a grassroots organization located in Nebraska that was started in 2019. My son has had several encounters with the criminal justice (CJ) system, and during each instance, we (his family) have advised the arresting officers, county jail staff, public defenders, private lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and the state prison system of his I/DD designation. We have found that the reporting of his status is not formally noted or tracked, even when it is provided through formal documentation. From one incarceration to the next, that information is not retained. Inspired by these situations, I decided something needed to be done. I decided to try to contact others like myself, who have loved ones who are I/DD, who are incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or newly involved with the judicial system. Together we can get the attention of those who can keep our loved ones safe, and make sure they are treated fairly, and their disabilities accommodated when appropriate.

Statistics show that 1-3 percent of Americans are intellectually disabled. Although there is no consensus on numbers of individuals with I/DD within the criminal justice system, experts claim that number is somewhere between 6-10 percent. This population's disability is not being accommodated and is being ignored in most cases by the judicial system. Once their numbers are computed, others will realize the urgency of addressing issues for this population. Who better to advocate than a mother whose son is a member of this segment of the judicial population? I hope that other mothers, fathers, family members, and friends will join me as I work to improve outcomes for those with I/DD who become involved in the criminal justice system.

Our Mission

protect individual rights & due process for individuals with i/dd who are involved with the judicial system

AAA4IDD promotes and protects the individual rights and due process for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supports them when they come into contact with the judicial system, from arrest, to sentencing, to adjudication, to reentry.

Our vision

Advocate — ally — achieve

AAA4IDD will Advocate, Ally, and Achieve for individuals who are intellectually and developmentally disabled (I/DD) who become involved in the judicial process.

AAA4IDD will advocate for and with individuals with I/DD and their families. We are working to develop a mechanism for identification and tracking of incarcerated individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) within the county and state prison systems. We will identify appropriate risk-assessment tools and programming, and encourage responsive sentencing for this population.

AAA4IDD will ally with other agencies who can help create the changes needed for those who are I/DD within the judicial system. We will build a force of trained volunteers who will act as advocates/interpreters during an individual's interaction within the CJ system, whether that individual is a victim, witness, or offender.

AAA4IDD will achieve the identification and implementation of more appropriate risk-assessment tools and programming to be used throughout the judicial process. We will encourage responsive sentencing for this population, and when incarceration is called for, we will work with criminal justice agencies to provide safe housing for individuals with I/DD. AAA4IDD will seek out professionals to work with inside the CJ system in order to facilitate changes to their policies and procedures when working with those with I/DD.

Our values

people first

AAA4IDD believes that all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are defined by their own strengths, abilities, and inherent value — not by their disability.

equity

AAA4IDD believes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are entitled to the respect, dignity, equality, safety, and security accorded to other members of society.

Respect

AAA4IDD believes every person has fundamental worth and we demonstrate this with our words and actions.

compassion

AAA4IDD cares about people. We have empathy for others and treat everyone with respect and dignity.

growth

AAA4IDD believes everyone has the capacity to reach greater potential. We strive to build better opportunities for development.

excellence

We seek continuous improvement and innovation in every endeavor to achieve the best outcomes.