“Prince George’s County Maryland – An Opportunity for FASD Awareness”
Last summer, local attorney Evan Wilson had a “light bulb moment” during Dr. Rich’s presentation in Prince George’s County, MD on June 20 about FASD and the law. Dr. Rich and two of the “BSTS change agents” met with him to discuss his perspectives about the role of the judiciary system in identifying and assisting individuals affected by FASD. As a juvenile delinquency attorney, he represents indigent minors in court who cannot afford to pay a lawyer. As Assistant Public Defender in PG County, he sees his job as educating the court about his client as a whole and not solely focused on a “snapshot” of the person’s life. Like the age old question – “Do we look at the crime or the individual?”, public defender Wilson sees the importance of making the court aware of challenges they face in their lives. “If you look at a person they are more than one event, they have a whole life behind them.” He emphasizes the importance of the right treatment protocol for a successful recovery to prevent recidivism (future delinquent acts). He believes that further education and awareness in the PG County court system to be able to appropriately intervene in the lives of adolescents and adults affected by FASD.
For more information watch the below video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBM6RDe90T8&feature=youtu.be