Head injury and offending

This review paper considers the hypothesis that head injury may be a factor that predisposes to offending. Three major types of evidence are reviewed. The psychological changes that commonly follow significant head injury, su ch as irritability and impulsivity, could put the head injury victim at inc reased risk of committing criminal acts. Furthermore, and although methodol ogically flawed, follow-up studies of head injury victims and investigation s of convicted violent offenders both give evidence consistent with the not ion that head injury helps to precipitate crime. Some methodological and ot her points are also discussed.