'I am not drunk, I have an ABI': findings from a qualitative study into systematic challenges in responding to people with acquired brain injuries in the justice system

Gaye Lansdell; Bernadette Saunders; Anna Eriksson; Rebecca Bunn; Susan Baidawi

doi:10.1080/13218719.2018.1474818

'I am not drunk, I have an ABI': findings from a qualitative study into systematic challenges in responding to people with acquired brain injuries in the justice system

Psychiatr Psychol Law. 2018 Jun 13;25(5):737-758. doi: 10.1080/13218719.2018.1474818. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Gaye Lansdell¹, Bernadette Saunders², Anna Eriksson³, Rebecca Bunn⁴, Susan Baidawi²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Law, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
² Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³ Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Law, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Abstract

The over-representation of acquired brain injury (ABI) amongst prisoner and juvenile justice populations is a significant issue across jurisdictions. This article reports on the findings of over 100 interviews conducted in Victoria, Australia with people who have an ABI, as well as key stakeholder groups who work in, or with, the justice system. The study identified systemic problems faced by people with ABI along multiple points of the justice system continuum. Improved identification and diagnosis of ABI, well-resourced support for those with the condition, comprehensive training to improve ABI literacy among all stakeholder groups, and a more appropriate and therapeutic approach to people with ABI in the justice system are all recommended.

Keywords: acquired brain injury; corrections; criminal justice system; disability; mental health; thematic content analysis.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Office of Public Advocate, Victoria through whom funding was obtained for this research in relation to the broader project title An Examination of the Interaction of People with an Acquired Brain Injury and the Criminal Justice System.