Calls for prisons to introduce brain injury scanning service

CONVICTS may have committed their crimes partly because they had a blow to the head in the past.

Calls have now been made to introduce brain injury screening services in Scotland’s jails to identify convicts who unwittingly committed crimes because of historic injuries. Research suggests that the risk of violent crime is more than three times higher among those with a history of brain injury than the general population, while it can also reduce tolerance to alcohol.

However, the impact of the injuries on behaviour can often remain “hidden”, even from the victims, leading for new calls for more to be done to identify sufferers.

Research suggests that prevalence of a history of admission to hospital with a head injury is significantly higher in prisoners than in the general population.

A study by the National Prisoner Healthcare Network, ordered by Holyrood’s Justice Committee, called for a pilot study to be set up to establish the practicality and validity of introducing screening tools for head injury in prison.

While currently prisoners do receive a medical assessment on arrival at jail, the signs of brain injury may not be apparent even to doctors during the routine assessment.

The group also called for NHS services in prisons and local brain injury services to work together more closely, and for setting up a secure brain injury rehabilitation unit in Scotland for prisoners to be considered.

The Scottish Prison Service said new work was being taken forward to train staff to spot prisoners whose behaviour may be affected by a past brain injury.