https://goo.gl/ca9VTJ
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a huge “hidden disability” within prison populations in the US and the UK. Despite evidence that TBI can lead sufferers to be more violent and reoffend, there is a worrying lack of information about the extent of the problem and there is no standard screening process. At a time when there is huge concern about escalating prison population rates, is it not time this issue was addressed?
Prisoners who have had head injuries are more likely to experience a variety of mental health problems including severe depression and anxiety, substance use disorders, anger and suicidal thoughts.
Surprisingly, it is only relatively recently that researchers have started investigating brain injury within the criminal justice context. But those
studies show higher rates of TBI within incarcerated populations compared to the rate found in the general population.
Despite studies highlighting the significant prevalence of TBI in inmates, there has been little consideration of this in the development of policies and procedures. An important review conducted in the UK and published in 2009 exploring the mental health needs of prisoners made no reference to brain injury at all.