Communities That Care

Posted on July 20, 2010

Traumatic Childhood Experiences Common For Most Justice-Involved Youth

(from a press release by the Justice Policy Institute)

Washington DC – The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released a brief on July 7th examining the relationship between childhood trauma and justice system involvement for youth. According to Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense, of the more than 93,000 children that are currently incarcerated in the United States, between 75 and 93 percent have experienced at least one traumatic experience, including sexual abuse, war, community violence, neglect and maltreatment. Research points to long term effects of childhood trauma, including emotional problems and negative impacts on youth brain development. The brief notes that while holding youth who engage in delinquent behavior accountable is important, it is critical that trauma exposure be considered in placement decisions, as youth who receive treatment in the community have better outcomes than those placed in correctional facilities.

“Incarcerated youth already face significant challenges, but youth who have experienced trauma are even more acutely affected,” said author Erica Adams, M.D. “Addressing a child’s trauma through the public health system before that child becomes involved with the justice system is critical to promoting the well-being of the child, the family and ultimately, the community.”

To read the Justice Policy Institute’s full press release, or to access the brief, go to http://www.justicepolicy.org/content-hmID=1811&smID=1581&ssmID=102.htm#press .

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