Trauma Informed Care and the Juvenile Justice System

• In Event: Trauma: Its Role in Juvenile Delinquency, Treatment, and the Juvenile Court

Abstract

Currently, the topic of traumatic stress among justice-involved youth has gained national attention. Studies have shown a multitude of factors contributing to youth experiencing trauma or victimization. While it is estimated that about 34 per cent of children in the United Sates experience at least one traumatic event in their lives, studies have shown that between 75 and 93 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have experienced traumatic victimization of one form or other. Recently, the state of Texas has passed a legislation mandating all juvenile probation and supervision personnel to complete trauma-informed care training. The current study will (1) review legislation pertaining to trauma-informed care for justice-involved youth in Texas; (2) assess contextual factors contributing to traumatic victimization; and (3) evaluate the extent to which the legislation has been implemented.

Authors

• Sesha Kethineni, Prairie View A&M University

• Ying Cao, Prairie View A&M University

• Susan Frazier-Kouassi, Prairie View A&M University