Early Childhood Trauma Exposure Among U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officers: A Mixed Methods Study

• In Event: Navigating Mental Health, Trauma, and Identity in Community Supervision

Abstract

Community corrections research has increasingly become focused on trauma informed care for justice involved persons. To date, however, there are few existing workforce studies that examine the trauma exposure of probation officers. The current mixed methods study presents results from a survey of 423 U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services officers and includes interview data from 30 officers. Data and analysis evaluate the early adverse childhood experiences of the officers (ACEs) and document the officers concerns about their trauma experiences. Results indicate high levels of early trauma are reported by the officers and further highlight group demographic differences, based on ACE scores. The highest scores were reported for historically vulnerable groups, especially female officers who identify as people of color. Additionally, the results call attention to workplace environmental factors that the officers cite as potential barriers to efforts to resolve the negative impact of trauma on their job performance, health, and wellbeing.

Author

• Sandra Trappen, Penn State University