Study to target FASD and at-risk youth
Contact:
Kaitlyn McLachlan, 604.417.8514; kthomsen@sfu.ca
Ron Roesch, 778.782.3370; ronald_roesch@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.4323
Researchers at Simon Fraser University hope to shed new light on the risks and needs of adolescents and young adults in the justice system with an upcoming study on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
SFU psychology professor Ron Roesch and PhD student Kaitlyn McLachlan will use a Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research grant to conduct the study. Their findings will give criminal justice and mental health professionals critical knowledge to help reduce the risks of FASD and ensure just outcomes for this vulnerable population.
The study will identify areas of possible risk for miscarriages in the criminal justice process related to the limited psycho-legal capacities of those with FASD and shed light on their risks and needs relative to other young offenders.
The researchers will interview 100 adolescents and young adults currently in the justice system in B.C. and other provinces, half of whom have FASD and half who do not.
“Young persons with FASD are thought to be over-represented in the justice system, however little is known about their ability to competently navigate formal justice procedures,” says McLachlan.
She adds there is a lack of scientific study on this population in terms of multiple adverse outcomes, including offending, victimization, mental health and substance-use problems.
The grant announcement was made today at the 10th Annual Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise (FACE) Research Roundtable in Toronto on the occasion of International FASD day.
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