Mark Mahoney: Fighting for Autism Justice
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Mark Mahoney reveals his groundbreaking work as possibly the only attorney in North America exclusively dedicated to defending individuals with autism spectrum disorder who face criminal charges.
Through years of specialized practice, he shares crucial insights about how the criminal justice system fundamentally misunderstands autism.
• Autism directly affects social understanding and learning of unwritten rules
• People with autism often commit crimes without understanding they're doing anything wrong
• Most prosecutors, judges, and attorneys lack basic knowledge about autism
• Many clients have normal or high IQs but social skills equivalent to a 3-year-old
• The criminal justice system treats autism cases as standard situations despite DOJ guidelines
• Organizations meant to advocate for autism often avoid addressing criminalization issues
• Prevention through explicit teaching of social and sexual boundaries is crucial
• Careful selection of attorneys who understand autism is essential for families
• Mahoney's cases show 40% success at keeping clients off sex offender registry
• Zero percent recidivism among his nearly 200 clients demonstrates these are not typical offenders
If you know anyone who would like to share their story, send them to TonyMantor.com. Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me, The World, because you are not alone in this world.
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intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild
Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
Chapters
1. Introduction to Mark Mahoney (00:00:00)
2. Becoming an Advocate for Autism (00:01:36)
3. Autism, Crime, and Social Understanding (00:05:47)
4. Legal System Challenges and Solutions (00:10:17)
5. Resistance from Organizations and Politics (00:15:40)
6. Prevention and Sexuality Education (00:21:34)
7. Finding the Right Legal Representation (00:23:54)
8. Closing Thoughts and Advocacy (00:29:53)
141 episodes