Incidence of Law-Violating Behavior in a Community Sample of Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury

• NCJ Number: 186655
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 44 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 647-656
• Author(s): James K. Luiselli; Michelle Arons; Nina Marchese; Andrea Potoczny-Gray; Erika Rossi
• Editor(s): Adrienne Palermo R.N.
• Date Published: December 2000
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report describes a survey that was conducted with children and adolescents who had severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and attended a community based program of education and neurorehabilitation and addresses the incidence of law violating behavior.

Abstract

The survey was conducted with 69 children and adolescents who had TBI. The intent was to determine the incidence of law violating behavior subsequent to sustaining trauma. Thirteen categories of offenses were identified: alcohol use, animal cruelty, breaking and entering, indecent exposure, fire setting, paraphilia, physical assault, sexual assault, substance use, theft, truancy, vandalism, and vehicular homicide. Approximately one third of the sample had documented violations and of this group, 72 percent had two or more incidents. Of the individuals who committed offenses, 90 percent were male. There were no differences in the type of TBI between the groups who did and did not have a history of law violations. The forensic concerns presented by children and adolescents with TBI are discussed. References