Abstract
Access to justice is a significant component of protecting the human and civil rights of all people, including persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). That access includes the right to participate in, and be treated fairly by, the criminal justice system. On August 6–7, 2015, a passionate and well-informed group of self-advocates, researchers, practitioners and experts in the field of disability and criminal justice met to participate in the Justice Strand at the National Goals 2015 Conference held in Washington, D.C. The purpose of each strand was to have leaders discuss key issues impacting the lives of people with IDD and build a research agenda for these topics. The justice strand participants discussed issues related to people with disabilities in the criminal justice system, both as victims and suspects/offenders. As people with IDD have become more vocal about victimization, self-advocates are increasingly becoming more involved in criminal justice advocacy work. This article presents goals and recommendations for action regarding research, policy, and practice in the criminal justice and IDD fields.