title: Traumatic brain injury among newly admitted adolescents in the New York city jail system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Relatively little is known about the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among adolescents who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook screening for TBI among newly admitted adolescents in the New York City jail system using a validated TBI screening tool. A convenience sample of 300 male and 84 female screenings was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Screening revealed that 50% of male and 49% of female adolescents enter jail with a history of TBI. Incidence of TBI was assessed using patient health records, and revealed an incidence of 3,107 TBI per 100,000 person-years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated prevalence and incidence of TBI among incarcerated adolescents may relate to criminal justice involvement as well as friction in jail. Given the large representation of violence as a cause of TBI among our patients, we have begun focus groups with them to elicit meaningful strategies for living with and avoiding TBI.
authors: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, New York.
authors: Fatos
authors: F
authors: Kaba
authors: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas, Houston, Texas.
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Diamond
authors: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, New York.
authors: Alpha
authors: A
authors: Haque
authors: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, New York.
authors: Ross
authors: R
authors: MacDonald
authors: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens, New York. Electronic address: Hventer1@health.nyc.gov.
authors: Homer
authors: H
authors: Venters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Jail; Traumatic brain injury; Violence