General
Link between Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and youth crime sparks calls for change
Anne Russell thought it was safe to drink alcohol while pregnant with her son, Seth, but her actions led to him being born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) — a condition she believes pushed him into the criminal justice system.
Key points:
- Experts are calling for all children in Australia’s criminal justice system to be assessed for FASD
- It is believed up to 40 per cent of inmates in Australian prisons may have the disability, but most are undiagnosed
- A federal inquiry into FASD support, prevention and diagnosis is due to release its findings next month
Ms Russell does not know what happened to her son in prison, but she says he has never been the same since.
Seth*, now 37, does not talk about the experience — in fact, he…
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