Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice (MACJ)

Department

Criminal Justice, Criminology, & Forensics

First Advisor

Bridget Joyner-Carpanini

Second Advisor

Peter Collins

Third Advisor

Joseph Schwartz

Abstract

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have been extensively studied in sports, military, and criminal contexts, revealing significant prevalence rates and impacts on cognitive function, emotional regulation, and behavioral outcomes. However, the prevalence, patterns, and implications of TBI within law enforcement populations remain unexplored, presenting a gap in occupational health research. This gap is notable given that law enforcement officers face unique occupational hazards including physical confrontations, vehicle pursuits, and training-related exposures that may elevate their risk for neurological injury. While extensive research documents the impact of TBI on decision-making, executive function, and emotional processing, all critical competencies for effective policing, limited research has examined TBI in law enforcement populations. Initial studies conducted in the United Kingdom (UK), suggest that law enforcement officers have higher prevalence rates of TBIs than the general population, but this phenomenon has not been investigated in the United States. This thesis addresses this gap by examining the lifetime prevalence of self-reported TBI among commissioned law enforcement officers in Washington State using an electronically adapted version of the Ohio State University TBI Identification Method. The study investigated patterns of TBI occurrence across different life stages, mechanisms of injury specific to law enforcement duties, and the relationship between career progression and TBI exposure. The results reveal TBI prevalence of 67.3% beginning in childhood and continuing through professional careers. Additionally, 70.8% of adult TBI incidents occurred on-duty. Vehicle TBI exposure escalated from 0.0% among new officers to 88.9% among veterans with 25+ years of service. The thesis concludes by discussing the empirical and practical implications of these findings.

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