Fetal Alcohol Syndrome linked to young offenders

Royal University Hospital psychologist Josephine Nanson has found that as many as half of young offenders appearing in provincial court in Saskatchewan are affected by fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

"They are very impulsive and do things that are not well thought out," Nanson told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, "and they get into significant difficulty from that. The malicious intent is seldom there. I find they're exploited by more talented criminals t to do some of the running. and they're more likely to get caught."

Ironically, Nanson says, offenders with FAS tend to be model prisoners, because they do well in highly structured situations.

"Fetal alcohol syndrome linked to crime," Dan Zakreski, Saskatoon Star Phoenix, March 10, 1998.

Related Article: [2000, Vol. 6]