Citation

Brown JM, Haun J, Zapf PA, Brown NN. Int. J. Law Psychiatry 2017; 52: 19-27.

Affiliation

University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijlp.2017.04.002

PMID

28502700

Abstract

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), an umbrella term for neurodevelopmental conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, is overrepresented in the U.S. juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. The brain damage in FASD manifests in a combination of cognitive and adaptive impairments that potentially reduce ability to function adequately during the criminal justice process, including capacity to stand trial (CST). Despite the high risk of arrest and conviction in this population, relatively little research guides CST assessment for defendants who have or may have FASD. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe how FASD may affect CST and suggest ways forensic professionals might modify assessment protocols to address possible effects of FASD-associated impairments on adjudicative capacity.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Adaptive functioning; Cognitive deficits; Competency to stand trial; FASD