brain injury

• brain injury?

  having an impact on the brain structure that can affect its functionality. Categorised as Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury (ABI), result of external force. Brain injuries can also be non traumatic, resulting from illness like brain tumours.
• case study of brain injuries?

  Phineas Gage, worked as a railroad construction worker and a rod passed through skull destroying majority of left frontal lobe. physically recovered but mentally changed, changed from a likeable man to an irritable alcoholic.

  • first bit of research (1960) showing how damage to frontal lobe can have negative implications to behaviour
• Williams (2010)?

  60% 196 prisoners had experiences some sort of traumatic brain injury, suggesting injuries affect development of social judgement and ability to control impulses.

  • also 2010, interviewed 192 young males in prison, 65% reported history of a brain injury with 46% losing consciousness for over 10 minutes
  • applications: increased awareness of effect of head injuries, neural injury should be treated similarly to mental health in court
• other research for brain injuries?

  • Brower and Price (2001), review of case studies that investigated link between frontal lobe damage and crime, concluded they have an association but no clear evidence that frontal lobe damage could predict violent crime
  • Grafman (1996), studied men in Vietnam war, brain scanning techniques- veterans with brain damage in frontal lobe were more likely to be aggressive
• strengths of brain injury as an explanation for crime?

  • evidence supporting link between brain injury and violent crime so valid ( Gage, Williams, Brower and Price, Grafman)
  • different methodology is used to study (case studies, brain scanning) which come to similar conclusions about frontal lobe damage and antisocial behaviour
  • useful applications in helping understand negative impacts of brain injury on behaviour and lead to developing rehabilitation
• weaknesses of brain injury as an explanation for crime?

  • relationship between brain injury and crime isn't causal, other variables could have an influence. people experiences head injury could also experience mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse
  • brain scanning evidence doesn't show participants brains before study took place
  • studies looking at just brain damage is reductionist, other variables like PTSD, gender, witnessing family violence ect can play a part