Disabilities in Pison and the nTBI
- Stephanie Anderson
- Nov 21, 2014
- 3 min read
Some estimates of the prevalence of disabilities in prison indicate that most inmates have disabilities of one kind or another, many with multiple, co-occurring disabilities. For example, a four-state study of juveniles incarcerated for capital offenses found that nearly 100% had multiple disabilities, described as including “neurological impairment, psychiatric illness, and cognitive deficits”, often the result of prolonged physical and sexual abuse (Russell & Stewart, 2001, p. 61).
There is not much in life as horrible as being a prisoner. Just imagine being outside the prison wall but a prisoner of daily failure and struggling to learn required skills. A successful life and fulfilling ones true destiny would be only a dream. It is a sentence that has literally taken good lives with potential and turned them into broken lives behind bars.
Statistics show the number of prisoners with disabilities is substantially higher than it is in the general population (Groom, 1999; Russell & Stewart, 2001). Estimates of the number of youth with disabilities in prison run as high as 70-100% (Leone, Zaremba, Chapin, & Iseli, 1995; Russell & Stewart, 2001), according to an article published Disability Studies Quarterly Summer 2005, Volume 25, No. 3, “There Is No Treatment Here:” Disability and Health Needs In A State Prison System by Phil Smith, Ed.D. Eastern Michigan University, Special Education.
In this TEDxMileHigh talk, Dr. Kim Gorgens discusses the high prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) within the criminal justice system and how a neurodevelopmental approach can break the "revolving door" of incarceration.
The Hidden Epidemic in Criminal Justice
Dr. Gorgens reveals a startling disparity in TBI prevalence [01:55]:
General Public: Less than 5% of people have experienced a TBI requiring hospitalization.
Criminal Justice Population: 50% to 80% of inmates and probationers have a TBI.
Women in Justice: These numbers are even higher, with nearly every woman in the system having experienced interpersonal violence; their brains often resemble those of retired NFL players [02:46].
Neurodevelopmental Impact and "The Revolving Door"
The video explains that TBI leads to cognitive impairments such as poor judgment, lack of impulse control, and memory deficits [03:28]. These aren't intentional acts of defiance, but rather physiological "screw-ups" that lead to re-arrest, such as:
Forgetting mandatory check-ins or court dates.
Getting into fights due to an inability to regulate emotions.
Failing to follow complex probation instructions.
From "Won't Do" to "Can't Do" (The Trauma-Responsive Shift)
The core of Dr. Gorgens' work in Colorado is changing the system's perception of behavior [07:16]:
System Shift: Moving from seeing an inmate as "defiant" to seeing them as having a "cognitive deficit."
Individual Shift: Helping inmates move from "I’m a screwup" to "Here is what my brain doesn't do well, and here is how I manage it" [06:59].
Simple, Effective Accommodations
The program focuses on "bottom-up" regulation and practical tools rather than just traditional therapy [05:26]:
Auditory Memory Support: Providing written handouts instead of just verbal instructions [06:18].
Self-Management Tools: Encouraging the use of notebooks, smartphone alarms, and checklists [08:25].
Environmental Pacing: Scheduling breaks to allow the brain to "recharge" before agitation sets in [09:40].
Success Stories
Vinnie: After a TBI at age 15, he spent more time in jail than school. By using checklists and iPhone reminders, he has been out of jail for two years and is back at work [08:09].
Mike: A veteran who survived a 70-foot fall. Instead of jail for missed appointments, a judge provided maps and flexible scheduling, leading to his graduation from Veterans Court and a return to work [10:48].
Conclusion: Dr. Gorgens argues that by acknowledging the neurobiological reality of TBI, the criminal justice system can transition from a cycle of punishment to a model of resilience and responsibility [11:42].
Learn more by visiting https://neurotrauma.one/neurobiological-tbi to read about the course: nTBI The Neurobiologic Traumatic Brain Injury.
Coming soon on our Skool platform: https://www.skool.com/begin-again-creatives-3177/about
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