TY - JOUR
T1 - Sword or shield? A systematic review of the roles FASD evidence plays in judicial proceedings
AU - Douds, Anne S.
AU - Stevens, Holly R.
AU - Sumner, William E.
PY - 2013/8
Y1 - 2013/8
N2 - In this first-ever systematic review of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in all federal court cases arising prior to 2011, the authors identified 1713 cases, with 131 cases substantively relevant to mental capacity, criminal intent, sentencing, and attorney malpractice. The majority of cases arose after Atkins v. Virginia, the pivotal Supreme Court case that prohibits the death penalty for mentally disabled persons. Among other things, this study reveals that FASD evidence usually defeats a death penalty sentence, but the lower courts reflect inconsistencies in how courts receive and handle mental health evidence.
AB - In this first-ever systematic review of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in all federal court cases arising prior to 2011, the authors identified 1713 cases, with 131 cases substantively relevant to mental capacity, criminal intent, sentencing, and attorney malpractice. The majority of cases arose after Atkins v. Virginia, the pivotal Supreme Court case that prohibits the death penalty for mentally disabled persons. Among other things, this study reveals that FASD evidence usually defeats a death penalty sentence, but the lower courts reflect inconsistencies in how courts receive and handle mental health evidence.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883194359&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883194359&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0887403412447809
DO - 10.1177/0887403412447809
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84883194359
SN - 0887-4034
VL - 24
SP - 492
EP - 509
JO - Criminal Justice Policy Review
JF - Criminal Justice Policy Review
IS - 4
ER -