Headway – the brain injury association The Justice Project

Objectives Raise awareness of brain injury and its effects throughout the criminal justice system; Help the police and others identify if someone they are in contact with has a brain injury Ensure brain injury survivors receive appropriate support – e.g. appropriate adult support; Provide brain injury survivors with specialist legal advice and representation; Divert people with brain injuries away from the criminal justice system where appropriate. Raise awareness of brain injury and its effects throughout the criminal justice system; Help the police and others in the criminal justice system identify if someone they are in contact with has a brain injury, through Brain Injury Identity Cards and raising awareness;

Why? Research Published evidence from around the world indicates that there is a high prevalence of offenders with brain injuries and that having a brain injury increases the risk of reoffending.

Why? UK Two UK studies of offender populations showed that over 60% reported head injuries. (Williams, W. H. et al (2010) Traumatic brain injury in a prison population: Prevalence and risk for re-offending.) (Williams, W. H. et al (2010) Self-reported traumatic brain injury in male young offenders: A risk factor for re-offending, poor mental health and violence?)

Why? Around the world: US – Washington State 87% of inmates had a TBI (Slaughter et al Brain Injury: 2003 17:731-741) Australia 82% of participants with at least one TBI 65 % with a loss of consciousness (Schofield et al Brain Injury: 2006; 20(5) 499- 506)

Why? New Zealand 86% of respondents had sustained a TBI A high rate of recurrent TBI was found- 57% (Barnfield & Leathem Brain Injury 1998; 12 (6) 455-466) US California Freedman et al 12 out of 16 (75%) men sentenced to death in California had a history of brain damage (Social Science & Medicine 2000; 50:1757-1770)

Why? Experience of brain injury survivors Being arrested for being drunk and disorderly on 3 occasions Treated like he was just another drunk No real interview, just name taken and put in a cell No understanding of brain injury and its effects Scared and felt like a criminal

Effects of brain injury Impaired memory Difficulties in processing information/following instructions Mobility or speech problems Communication difficulties Emotional/anger problems Impulsivity/poor decision making

Making good progress Strong support from the National Police Chiefs Council 16 Headway groups and branches are currently involved in a three-month pilot, including Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Roll-out to all groups/branches and public launch. Continuing to work with the police, National Appropriate Adult Network, Liaison & Diversion services. First Brain Injury Identity Cards issued this week

Brain Injury Identity Card