Objective: To examine the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and criminal behavior in youth who are incarcerated or on probation in Texas.
Setting: Seven juvenile justice facilities.
Participants: Juvenile offenders in state or county correctional facilities or on probation.
Design: Screening for TBI was conducted among adolescents at 7 juvenile justice centers.
Main measures: Participants were administered the Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire, and results were linked to participants' offense history and psychiatric diagnoses.
Results: One in 4 juvenile offenders met criteria for TBI, and the majority of injuries occurred prior to the adolescents' criminal offenses. A history of TBI was related to more violent crimes, as well as more mental health diagnoses and symptoms.
Conclusion: The high rates of TBI and levels of distress found in juvenile offenders suggest a need for preventive actions, interventions to compensate for challenges related to TBI, and programs to assist individuals' transitions into the community.