Pilot Study:

Irlen Syndrome and Irlen Treatment in the Prison Population

HM Young Offender Institution
Huntercombe Place
Oxfordshire

Introduction

The Prison Service spends considerable resources on incarcerating inmates and on trying to prevent them from re-offending. There is considerable evidence to show that the percentage of inmates experience learning and/or behavioural problems is significantly above that of the general population. In addition, there is evidence that the percentage of inmates suffering from the perceptual distortions, physical symptoms, and behavioural difficulties associated with Irlen Syndrome is also significantly higher that that of the general population. This is not surprising since research shows that, although the incidence of I.S. is about 12% in the general population, the incidence of I.S. for those with learning difficulties, dyslexia, Autism, ADD, and ADHD is about 47%.

If I.S. is not identified and treated, educational progress is limited and areas such as behaviour and self-esteem are affected. The links between educational failure, lack of self-esteem, and behavioural problems and with crime and incarceration have been accepted for some time. Over the past fifteen years, the link between Irlen Syndrome and these factors has been established. If Irlen Syndrome were to be appropriately treated, inmates could start to make progress in these areas. If Irlen Syndrome is left untreated, a barrier to learning and taking a positive and appropriate place in society remains.

Irlen Syndrome

Irlen Syndrome has been researched both educationally and medically and is a recognised syndrome that has a physiological basis. The medical research has shown that parts of the light spectrum, which are specific to each individual, cause the brain to process visual information incorrectly. This incorrect processing of