(Originally published by The New York Times on December 6, 2024 in the Opinion section under “Brain Injuries and Crime“)

People with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) face serious challenges navigating a criminal legal system that places significant value on their ability to recall facts accurately and consistently. In addition to the symptoms cited by Mx. Liontas, TBI can influence how well a person remembers and can communicate details, how convincing they sound, whether their affect matches decision makers’ expectations and whether they appear properly remorseful.

Our recent survey of women incarcerated for murder and manslaughter offenses in California found that at least one-third of respondents (217 of 649 people) experienced probable TBIs the year before the offense.

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