Citation

Perkes I, Schofield PW, Butler T, Hollis SJ. Brain Inj. 2011; 25(2): 131-141.

Affiliation

School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.3109/02699052.2010.536193

PMID

21117917

Abstract

Aim: To compare rates of past reported traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a prisoner sample with those in a control group drawn from the same location of usual residence. Method: The prisoner group comprised a consecutive sample of men (n = 200) received into custody and screened by face-to-face interview. The control group comprised men (n = 200) matched for location of usual residence screened by telephone interview. Participants were asked about past TBIs and screened for drug and alcohol abuse, impulsivity and dissocial personality disorder. Results: Eighty-two per cent of prisoners and 71.5% of community participants reported at least one past TBI of any severity (i.e. with or without a loss of consciousness (LOC)) and 64.5% of prisoners and 32.2% of community participants reported at least one TBI associated with a LOC. Prisoners were more likely to report persisting side-effects of TBI and were much more likely to screen positive for impulsivity and dissocial personality disorder. Multivariate analyses found no significant association between TBI frequency or severity and custody/community group membership. Conclusions: High reported rates of TBI in prisoner populations may reflect the excess of socio-demographic risk factors for TBI. Results of the current study do not support a role for TBI as causally related to criminal conduct.

Language: en