Thank you, Mr. Wilks.
You clearly know the challenges that are faced on a front-line level. Some of those translate perfectly in a correctional environment, and they're diverse.
Regarding the second part of your question, diagnosis is always a challenge, as is privacy. The reality is that nobody is actually standing up saying, “I have FASD. I want mitigation here.” It's not something people want to volunteer, particularly if they're heading into a correctional environment, because they don't want that stigma on them. It becomes a real challenge to provide support when people are reluctant to stand up and acknowledge their condition. It only happens through some tremendous leadership and support from the community, justice, the crown, policing, and people in that community who work directly with the client to get them to realize the benefits of having a diagnosis, and of receiving treatment and support. It's tough to get them to go down that road.
Frustrations in the correctional environment relate in part to the trick of providing a safe and secure environment. A lot of times people with FASD are manipulated by factors of FASD. They tend to be impressionable. The bullies in the correctional environment don't miss that opportunity. They often use them to kite drugs, move notes, do all their illicit bidding for them within the environment. They then suffer the consequences for that bad behaviour after thinking that it's a way for them to fit in. They don't appreciate the long-term consequences of their actions, which are largely what brought them into the correction environment in the first place and then they're manipulated within it. There are often struggles to give them the headspace, the quiet space, that they often need. A lot of times, that translates into segregation. Segregation is not necessarily a healthy situation, but it's the only viable, safe location.
That becomes frustrating for staff. It's frustrating for the inmates. It's frustrating for the people who want to help them. Much like in front-line policing, you feel like your hands are tied while trying to help people you know need help. In other cases though, as I said, you see a different situation, where that structure, routine, and environment actually work out well for them. You end up wrestling those demons in your own head from a front-line client service delivery person in law enforcement as to what is the best route to take when you see some definite pros and definite cons around this. There's no easy answer to this, but I think, through your study, you're going to pull some of those things out.