Untreated Brain Injury in Childhood Triggers Criminal Tendencies

Identifying and managing brain injury of children is mandatory because these injuries increase chances of development of criminal behaviour in adulthood.

A team of researchers from University of Exeter initiated to examine the consequences of untreated traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood and it's relation to criminal activities.

Professor Huw Williams and colleagues surveyed 200 prisoners and found 60 percent of young people revealing having some kind of TBI as children. According to them head injuries from falls, car accidents, fights or sports activities can cause maturing brains to 'misfire,' affecting  the natural development of temperance, social judgment and control impulses.

"The young brain, being a work in progress, is prone to 'risk taking' and so is more vulnerable to getting injured in the first place, and to suffer subtle to more severe problems in attention, concentration and managing one's mood and behavior," report author Williams explained.

"It is rare that brain injury is considered by criminal justice professionals when assessing the rehabilitative needs of an offender, even though recent studies from the UK have shown that prevalence of TBI among prisoners is as high as 60%. Brain injury has been shown to be a condition that may increase the risk of offending, and it is also a strong 'marker' for other key factors that indicate risk for offending."

The researchers urge the need for early intervention to identify and manage brain injuries among young children and providing essential neuro-rehabilitative support to prevent the occurrence.

"The report makes clear recommendations for service commissioners and providers in the health and criminal justice sectors as to how they should work together to respond appropriately, ensuring that acquired brain injuries are picked up early, treated effectively, and taken into account throughout the criminal justice process," Joyce Moseley OBE, Chair of the Transition to Adulthood Alliance (T2A), said.