34. We call upon the governments of Canada, the provinces, and territories to undertake reforms to the criminal justice system to better address the needs of offenders with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), including:
i. Providing increased community resources and powers for courts to ensure that FASD is properly diagnosed, and that appropriate community supports are in place for those with FASD.
ii. Enacting statutory exemptions from mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment for offenders affected by FASD.
iii. Providing community, correctional, and parole resources to maximize the ability of people with FASD to live in the community.
iv. Adopting appropriate evaluation mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of such programs and ensure community safety.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls upon the governments of Canada to make reforms to the criminal justice system to better address the needs of offenders with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), this would include:
- Increasing community resources and powers for courts to ensure that FASD is properly diagnosed and that proper support systems are in place for individuals with FASD.
- Establish situational exceptions from mandatory minimum sentences for offenders affected by FASD.
- To maximize the ability of people with FASD to live in the community by providing community, correctional and parole resources.
- To adopt evolution methods to continuously ensure the effectiveness of such programs and ensure community safety.
Other Resources:
Reading – http://www.johnhowardbc.ca/images/jhsbc-factsheet-fasd.pdf
Reading – http://www.rethinking.org.nz/Default.aspx?page=4343
Compiled by: Samuel Bigelow