Traumatic Brain Injury as a Risk Factor for Recidivism

The current study explored the relationship between a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk for criminal reoffending, including whether the progressive deterioration of functioning induced by multiple mild TBIs and/or moderate to severe TBIs specifically leads to an increased risk for repeat incarceration, as measured by the Level of Service Inventory -- Revised (LSI-R). A total of 87 inmates from four state prisons in Pennsylvania were interviewed and administered the Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire (TBIQ). TBIQ responses were then compared to risk assessments completed upon admission to the prison. Marginal variations in LSI-R scores were found among individuals with an absent or minimal history of TBI, multiple mild TBIs and moderate to severe TBIs as well as weak correlations between a history of TBI and LSI-R scores, suggesting that a history of TBI does not put one at increased risk for recidivism, as measured by the LSI-R. Implications for further research include exploring how to integrate the areas of functioning that TBI impacts, such as impulsivity and impaired decision making, into recidivism measures.