Nevada’s DAAY Court: A lifeline for autistic youth facing criminal charges

12/15/2025 / By Belle Carter

Nevada Judge Sunny Bailey launched the Detention Alternative for Autistic Youth (DAAY) Court in 2018 to divert autistic youth from punitive justice into tailored therapy programs, addressing disproportionate criminalization due to misunderstood behaviors.
Bailey’s program was inspired by her own daughter’s transformation through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which reduced aggression and improved coping skills—proving rehabilitation over punishment works.
The court relies on volunteer professionals (social workers, psychologists, attorneys) to create individualized ABA-based plans, funded through minimal fees, donations and insurance—boasting a recidivism rate below 10%.
Targeting children as young as four, DAAY Court prevents school expulsions and trauma by addressing meltdowns early, breaking cycles that could lead to adult incarceration.
Recognized by Nevada’s governor, the program’s success led to Senate Bill 411 (2023) scaling the model statewide, proving compassion and evidence-based care yield better outcomes than traditional punitive systems.

In 2018, Nevada Judge Sunny Bailey launched an unprecedented initiative—the Detention Alternative for Autistic Youth (DAAY) Court—to divert children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) away from punitive justice and into tailored therapy programs.

Born from personal experience and necessity, Bailey’s program addresses a grim reality: Autistic youth are disproportionately funneled into the criminal justice system, often due to misunderstood behaviors.

Now recognized by Nevada’s governor and boasting a recidivism rate below 10%, DAAY Court offers a blueprint for rehabilitation over punishment.

A mother’s mission becomes a judicial model

Bailey’s inspiration came from her own daughter, whose violent outbursts—common in some autistic individuals—led to injuries and despair. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy transformed her daughter’s life, reducing aggression and improving coping skills.

“We don’t measure success as much by recidivism,” Bailey told The Defender, “but our greatest recidivism happens among families that don’t stay with ABA.”

The court operates with volunteer social workers, psychologists and attorneys who design individualized plans combining ABA, psychiatric care and socialization training. Most participants face battery charges, often stemming from meltdowns directed at family or caregivers. By replacing jail time with therapy, DAAY Court reframes accountability: “Is every kid worth it?” Bailey asks. “Anything we can do to keep them out of the system… is worth it.”

What began as an impromptu solution for one overwhelmed teen—a quiet courtroom session to avoid sensory overload—snowballed into a full-fledged program. Probation officers, attorneys and nonprofits began referring cases, dubbing it the “autism court” before it had a name.

“We’re like the octopus of the legal system,” Bailey joked. “Once you come in, we grab you, and everyone stays.”

Funded through minimal administrative fees and donations, DAAY Court relies on Medicaid and insurance to cover ABA therapy. Coordinator Khristie Cury helps families navigate bureaucracy, ensuring access to wraparound services. In 2023, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 411, expanding the model statewide.

Early intervention: Breaking the cycle before adulthood

The stakes are high. With one in 31 U.S. children diagnosed with ASD—a number rising annually—missteps in schools or law enforcement can escalate into lifelong trauma.

According to BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, autistic youth may react aggressively to stimuli like sirens or restraints, appearing “non-compliant” to officers. DAAY Court intervenes early, often with children as young as four, to prevent school expulsions, misdiagnoses and pipeline-to-prison outcomes.

Cury emphasized the long-term payoff: “Catching these kids early means they won’t be traumatized by repeated failures in the system.” Bailey added that pre-18 intervention could halt adult incarceration cycles.

Bailey’s DAAY Court challenges a system ill-equipped to handle neurodiversity, proving that compassion and evidence-based care yield better results than handcuffs. From one overwhelmed teen to 143 lives changed, the program’s organic growth underscores a universal truth: every child deserves a chance. As Bailey puts it, helping just one kid can ignite a movement—one that reshapes justice for the most vulnerable.

Watch this video explaining the autism spectrum.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.