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A Novel Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury for Juvenile Rats
Published on: December 8, 2014
The Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Criminality in Juvenile Offenders
Wayne A Gordon1, Lisa A Spielman, Amanda E Hahn-Ketter
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York.
Objective:
To examine the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and criminal behavior in youth who are incarcerated or on probation in Texas.
Setting:
Seven juvenile justice facilities.
Participants:
Juvenile offenders in state or county correctional facilities or on probation.
Design:
Screening for TBI was conducted among adolescents at 7 juvenile justice centers.
Main Measures:
Participants were administered the Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire, and results were linked to participants' offense history and psychiatric diagnoses.
Results:
One in 4 juvenile offenders met criteria for TBI, and the majority of injuries occurred prior to the adolescents' criminal offenses. A history of TBI was related to more violent crimes, as well as more mental health diagnoses and symptoms.
Conclusion:
The high rates of TBI and levels of distress found in juvenile offenders suggest a need for preventive actions, interventions to compensate for challenges related to TBI, and programs to assist individuals' transitions into the community.
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