TRC Calls to Action: #34

 Legacy
Justice

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. 

While the Government of Canada is apparently "examining measures to address the overrepresentation of vulnerable populations, including offenders with mental health and addiction issues" and "working to address service gaps that exist in the criminal justice system for these vulnerable groups to improve accessibility, both for victims and offenders," Beyond 94 states that not much progress has been made with respect to this Call. In fact, the Government of Canada page makes no mention of offenders with FASD specifically, which is obviously what this Call addresses directly...