subject: Traumatic Acquired Brain Injury Can Affect Crime And Contribute To Becoming Homeless [print this page] It is sometimes difficult to ascertain the implications of brain injuries and they can have a huge effect on lives, without some even realising it. A couple of recent surveys have found some very interesting findings that brain injuries can cause.
Crime
British and Swedish scientists carried out research on 22,914 people who had suffered traumatic brain injuries. Almost 9 per cent went on to commit acts of violence after diagnosis three times the rate in the general population.
The scientists defined violent criminals as those convicted of homicide, assault, robbery, arson, sexual offences, or illegal threats or intimidation.
Epilepsy was also investigated as previous studies had suggested it can increase the risk of violence, but scientists found no significant association.
Based on this theory, Dr Wayne Gordon from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine has developed a treatment program for adults and young offenders. The program is currently just being trialled on younger offenders; it is an emotional regulation program lasting for 12 weeks and is aimed at those who have displayed signs of traumatic brain injury. They will learn how to regulate their emotions, identify what theyre feeling and develop strategies to help them stop and think in order to make better more informed decisions.
According to the charity Brain Injury Australia, damage to the frontal and temporal lobes is associated with an increase in the potential for aggressive, violent and criminal behaviour.
Homelessness
A study launched by the charity The Disabilities Trust is the first ever study of this kind in the UK and indicates that brain injury could contribute to the risk of becoming homeless.
It identified that brain injury could affect almost half - 48% of homeless people and may have contributed to becoming homeless in the first place.
These injuries, depending on the severity can be very difficult to detect and may not be diagnosed or treated properly if they are. If untreated they can cause communication, memory and behaviour problems that can lead to increased risk of crime, family breakdown and loss of employment.
The study was unveiled in Leeds and asked 75 homeless men and 25 homeless women whether they had experienced a brain injury and how severe the blow to the head was. The results were then compared to a group who were not homeless.
48% of homeless people said they had suffered a traumatic brain injury this was twice the number in the non-homeless group that was just 21%.
Out of the 48% of homeless people:
90% of these reported that their first injury had been sustained prior to becoming homeless
Over half (60%) said they had sustained more than one brain injury - over twice as many as in the control sample (24%)
The average age when they said they had experienced their first brain injury was 19.
Chief Executive of The Disabilities Trust, Barrie Oldham, said: "An estimated 100,000 people in the UK live with long term disabilities as the result of brain injury - a 'silent epidemic.'
