JJS
The purpose of this study is the determine the incidence of TBI in justice-involved youth, and investigate associations between TBI and risks for criminal behavior.
Background
Justice involved youth experience are put into environments and have experiences that can predispose them to later criminal behavior. There is also evidence that TBI can increase the risk of later criminality through symptoms such as aggression, impulsivity, substance use, emotional dysregulation, and executive dysfunction. In addition, stress and trauma are theorized to influence aggression and delinquency. Although there is research on both the environmental underpinnings of justice involved youth and the psychological effects of TBI on risks for criminality, there is a gap in the knowledge of the relationship of TBI in justice-involved youth and risks for criminal behavior.
Methods
Justice-involved youth to participate in this study would undergo cognitive testing, neuroimaging, surveys, and interviews to acquire a full range of information on the participant’s background. This data will then be analyzed to see what relationships exist between TBI in justice-involved youth and risks for criminogenic behavior.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand how TBI and environmental factors relate to criminal behavior in justice-involved youth. Stress and trauma from being in the juvenile justice system could play a role in later participation in criminal behavior. Other environmental risk factors include child maltreatment, indirect victimization, violence exposure, antisocial peers, familial discord, and substance abuse. TBI could exacerbate these issues or casue other executive functioning deficits. All of these factors are important to understand in the context of justice-involved youth. This study aims to better understand both the environmental and biological causes leading to risks for deliquency and criminal activity in justice-involved youth.
Inclusion criteria:
Youth ages 13–17 who are currently on probation, or are former justice-involved youth. Youth and youth caregiver must be English-speaking and be either on probation through Salt Lake Valley Youth Center (SLCYC) or be a current of former youth involved with the juvenile justic system.
Exclusion criteria:
Youth who are under CPS custody, actively psychotic or suicidal and require inpatient stabilization, have sensory motor impairment the undermines completing the study measures, contraindications for MRI such as implants or claustrophobia, have intellectual disability, are full-time special education, and youth and caregivers who are non-English speaking will not be included in this study.
Want to Participate?
If you are interested in participating in the study, please contact us via phone or email:
- Phone: 385-645-4171
- Email: tbicc.uu@gmail.com
