1.5 Hours | 1.5 CEs

This webinar on FASD and the Criminal Justice System: A Review for Forensic Professionals is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD.

In this webinar, participants can expect to learn about the benefits of routine screening for FASD in forensic settings and to acquire knowledge about the deficits commonly caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Specifically, the webinar focuses on how FASD may impact confabulation, competency, diminished capacity, disposition/sentencing, false confessions, sexually inappropriate behaviors, suggestibility, trial right deficits, and the likelihood of victimization during incarceration. Relevant research findings and case law are presented throughout the workshop.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a permanent disorder caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. FASD encompasses a range of symptoms including cognitive (e.g., intelligence, executive control, and memory), social (e.g., communication skills and suggestibility), and adaptive (e.g., decision making ability and capacity to solve problems) impairments. In combination with co-occurring disorders (e.g., ADHD, depression, anxiety, and substance use), the identification and assessment of FASD can become a complicated endeavor. To help address these complexities, Neurodevelopmental Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE) was identified as a disorder for future study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5th Edition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Nonetheless, many cases of FASD still go unidentified, which is particularly problematic because the disorder increases the likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice system. Further, the symptoms of FASD make it more difficult for an individual to participate in the criminal justice system (i.e., waive rights, enter pleas, stand trial, and abide by community supervision).

Research suggests that FASD is overrepresented in forensic settings and can present unique challenges and significant management problems for mental health, correctional, and legal professionals. These obstacles are often exacerbated when individuals with FASD are not accurately identified and responsively treated.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this webinar you will be able to:

  • Describe key research findings, statistics, and concepts associated with FASD in forensic and criminal justice settings

  • Describe the challenges of screening for FASD within forensic populations

  • Describe core deficits and secondary disabilities that increase the likelihood of those with FASD becoming involved in the criminal justice system

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).
  • Intended Audience

    This on-demand webinar is intended for mental health and other allied professionals.

  • Experience Level

    This on-demand webinar is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.

  • CE / CPD Credit

    APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.

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