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Association between traumatic brain injury and prison charges: a population-based cohort study
Flora I Matheson1,2,3,4, Kathryn E McIsaac5, Kinwah Fung3
1MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, ON, Canada.
Brain Injury
|April 24, 2020
Summary
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) significantly increases the risk of serious disciplinary charges for incarcerated individuals. This highlights the need for better support and resources for inmates with a history of TBI.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Criminology
- Public Health
Background:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an underrecognized health issue with a high prevalence in correctional populations.
- Individuals experiencing incarceration are disproportionately affected by TBI, impacting their adjustment and behavior within the prison system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a history of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and serious disciplinary charges.
- To analyze this relationship in a cohort of men and women serving federal sentences of two or more years in Ontario, Canada.
Main Methods:
- Utilized linked administrative health and correctional data for 12,038 adults with their first federal sentence between 1998 and 2011.
- Defined TBI using ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnostic codes and assessed disciplinary charges within two years post-sentence.
- Employed robust Poisson regression to determine the adjusted risk of serious disciplinary charges associated with TBI history.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of TBI in the study sample was 13.2%.
- Adults with a recent TBI were three times more likely to receive a serious disciplinary charge.
- A history of TBI was associated with a 39% higher unadjusted risk and a 14% higher adjusted risk of serious disciplinary charges.
Conclusions:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) presents a significant challenge for incarcerated individuals, complicating their adaptation to the prison environment.
- There is a critical need for enhanced support services and resources tailored to the specific needs of inmates with TBI histories.
