Implementing a brain injury offender strategy through the introduction of a specialist support service in prison

Initial studies by The Disabilities Trust Foundation sought to verify whether reported high levels of prevalence of brain injury were observed in the UK prisoner population. Given the high prevalence of brain injury among offenders, The Disabilities Trust Foundation, developed a new strategy to address it within the Criminal Justice System, focussing on three areas: identification, raising awareness and intervention. This approach consists of a screening method to be used at reception to identify people with probable brain injury as they come into custody, a workforce training programme for staff and a model of intervention for prisoners with brain injury.