Sleep Disturbances and Disorders: Criminal Justice, Forensic Mental Health, and Legal Considerations

Adequate sleep is the foundation to optimal emotional, behavioral, social, and physical health functioning. Unfortunately, problems associated with sleep are a common issue among individuals in the general population, with even higher rates reported among criminal justice and forensic mental health-involved populations. As such, it is imperative for these impacted individuals to receive appropriate supports and services from professional providers who understand the complexities of sleep dysfunction and its implications for concerning, problematic, criminal, and vulnerable behaviors. Designed for professionals working in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings, this training provides attendees with a working understanding of the causes, consequences, and interventions associated with sleep disturbances and disorders among criminal justice and forensic mental health-based populations. Other topics discussed in this training include anger, aggression, and violence, incarceration, suggestibility, misinformation effect, fantasy proneness, false confessions, vulnerability and victimization, executive dysfunction, error monitoring deficits, uncertainty, rule following problems, carelessness, problematic coping strategies, circadian rhythm misalignment. language impairment, auditory processing deficits, social cognition, sluggish cognitive tempo, comprehension deficits, fatigue, information processing deficits, choice-making deficits, abstract reasoning deficits, memory confusion, self-regulation deficits, and sensory processing limitations to name a few. Empirically based research findings examples will be highlighted throughout this training.

Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has also provided consultation services to a number of caregivers, professionals, and organizations pertaining to topics related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), confabulation, suggestibility, trauma and other life adversities, alexithymia, executive dysfunction, criminal recidivism, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and youth firesetting. Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Medical Biochemistry, Exercise Prescription, Neuroscience and the Law, Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. In 2023, Jerrod completed a diabetes care and education certificate from Central Arizona College. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing his fifth master’s degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition from Northeast College of Health Sciences. Jerrod has also conducted over 200 workshops, webinars, and on-demand trainings for various organizations and professional and student audiences. Jerrod has published several articles and book chapters, and recently, co-edited the book Forensic Mental Health: A Source Guide for Professionals (Brown & Weinkauf, 2018) with Erv Weinkauf. Jerrod has also been quoted in various magazines, newspapers, and other professional outlets. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.