Gillian McCallum of the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) has published an information sheet on brain injury in children and young people and the impact on criminal justice system.
The information sheet highlights that Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young people in the UK aged 1-40. Furthermore, worldwide research has shown that the number of people with a previous TBI is far higher among the convicted offender population than the general population. It goes on to state that:
The justice system is complex, with many moving parts. A courtroom is a tense, fast-moving environment that is difficult to prepare a child or young person for. When you add in the potential complication of a brain injury, it can prove even more difficult to follow and understand proceedings. The aftereffects of a brain injury could also prevent someone from remembering appointments, thus compromising their ability to engage with services and understand what they have agreed to in court in terms of their sentence.
One of the conclusions within the information sheet is that due to the overrepresentation of children and young people in the justice system who have a brain injury, it is vital that professionals working with children and young people in conflict with the law are trained to understand not only the impact of a brain injury, but also to recognise when there may be someone in court who has a brain injury that has not been acknowledged previously.
To read the information sheet CLICK HERE.
