The Economist March 27th, 2021 pp53-54|International|Brain injuries and crime|”Banged up”. “Brain injuries are startingly common among those who have committed crimes”
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Read the article for all detail
Summary of the Article
“Brain injuries affect about 8.5% of the general population but rates among prisoners are far higher” with several sources cited in this article putting it at 50-80% (America), 65% (Britain) and research from American, Australia and Europe suggest “that the average rate is around 46%.”
So, as it turns out.
“People who sustain brain injuries are more likely to go on to commit crimes, including violent ones.”
“They are more troublesome while in prison and more likely to reoffend on release.”
According to Adrian Raine (U Pennsyvania) “research that follows people over time, as well as natural experiments [illuminates the fact that] ...otherwise law-abiding individuals suffer a brain injury and then display antisocial behavior.”
Childhood brain injury likely make matters worse.
“For many the damage is done early. Brain injuries are particularly common among boys and young men, whose brains are still maturing.” After childhood brain injury they are “far more likely to drop out of school and end up in prison.” While some brain injury results from sports most are caused by “falls, road-traffic accidents and fights.”
What’s the anatomical link?
“The front of the brain, where the frontal and temporal lobes are located, is often damaged. Higher emotions, such as compassion, seem to be concentrated there, as does conscious decision-making.” (See figure above)
Show me the data!
Seena Fazel (University of Oxford) cross-referenced health-care and crime records in Sweden suggesting that “people who had gone to hospital for a brain injury were more than three times more likely then to commit violent crimes than the rest of the population…[and] twice as likely to do so as their siblings.” Those with traumatic brain injury in a study in Colorado by Dr. Gorgens found that 96% had problems with substance abuse and 79% suffered from some kind of mental illiness.”
What is being done?
In Britain and Australia officials are reportedly examining how they treat offenders by including “a broader set of ‘neurodiverse’ conditions which are disproportionately common among inmates, including learning and intellectual disabilities and autism.”
Youth court in New Zealand is now screening “defendants for brain injuries and has tried to adapt its procedures to take account of their needs.” This includes breaking down court language to improve an affected offender’s understanding.
Others are working to “raise awareness of brain injuries among inmates and staff.” After the effects are better understood, they teach prisoners “about how they can manage them.” Adapting to prison and the outside world includes using personal calendars, to avoid missing parole interactions etc. and mastering “breathing techniques to help…stay calm under pressure.” Officials hope recidivism, currently at 50% in Colorado, will begin to decline. In some cases, better medical treatment including “antidepressants for anxiety or stimulants for fatigue and improved cognitive function.”
Experts believe in neuroplasticity-the ability to “adapt...brain structure and function” through neuro-rehabilitation using physical therapy, speech therapy and even “computerized ‘brain training’ games that “can improve recall and attention.”
Going further, Andrew Becroft (New Zealand’s Children Commissioner) suggests that children should be screened for brain injuries and other neuro-disabilities when they start secondary school.
Of course, all are interested in preventing brain injury by “teaching parents about the risks, or encouraging people to wear helmets.”
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