Innovating Services for Justice-Involved Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: The In Reach Project

ABSTRACT

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a term describing the range of neurocognitive, physical, behavioral, and learning difficulties resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure. Individuals with FASD are at an increased risk, relative to those without FASD, for justice system involvement. To address this concern, the Willow Winds Support Network developed and implemented the In Reach project to provide FASD-specific services and supports to residents and staff of justice facilities in Alberta, Canada. Semi-structured interviews revealed facilitators of the project’s success, emerging outcomes, and the perceived need for FASD-specific services in justice facilities. Research, practice, and policy implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• qualitative
• criminal justice
• community-based research
• correctional facilities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Edmonton Community Foundation .