NOFAS Press Conference: FASD and the Criminal Justice System

From NOFAS.org:

Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Billy Edwards headlined a recent NOFAS press conference highlighting the many facets of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the criminal justice system, and how the topic came to be featured this year in a double volume of the Journal of Psychiatry and the Law.

In describing the purpose of the focus on FASD, Edwards said both the public’s perception and policies need to be changed to recognize the significance of FASD and account for individuals with the condition that encounter the juvenile and criminal justice systems. He added that, “FASD is not an excuse to a defense, but rather a valid issue in [criminal] representation.” As a possible outcome of the journal articles, he said he wished the spotlight on the issue would help, “Change the way courts look at FASD and perhaps lead to an exclusion from the death penalty for persons with FASD.”

A copy of the Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 editions of the Journal of Psychiatry and Law featuring FASD, or selected articles, may be obtained from Federal Legal Publications