NAPD - Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) and False Confessions: Causes, Consequences and Solutions

Time: December 16, 2024 - 3-4pm

Location: Webinar

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) are common disorders that are associated with several cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social, and physical health deficits and challenges. For a variety of reasons, some individuals with NDDs come into contact with the criminal justice and legal systems. Once involved in these systems, the impacted individual may be at greater risk for miscarriages of justice like false confessions and wrongful convictions as well as an increase in vulnerability and victimization. This is especially the case when professionals lack an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the deficits, challenges, and barriers persons with NDDs frequently face. This training will focus exclusively on the causes, consequences, and solutions associated with NDDs and false confessions. Other topics discussed in this training include problematic interviewing tactics, confabulation, memory distrust, suggestibility, compliance, gullibility, developmental factors, fantasy proneness, executive dysfunction, error monitoring deficits, uncertainty, stress sensitivity, carelessness, problematic coping strategies, sleep disturbances, circadian rhythm misalignment, fatigue, and memory problems to name a few. Empirically based research findings will be highlighted throughout this training.