Trauma-Informed Care in the Criminal Justice System

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is a strength-based approach and framework designed to better understand, recognize, and minimize the potential of traumatizing or re-traumatizing the client or care provider. This approach to care is built upon the recognition of trauma symptoms and acknowledgment of their potential consequences across the lifespan. Viable in diverse settings from health care to education systems, trauma-informed care is particularly promising in the criminal justice system, where clients are at substantially greater risk for previous traumatic experiences than the general population.

Here, trauma-informed care holds the potential to improve treatment outcomes, decrease the likelihood of future criminal behaviors, and increase the safety of the broader community.

Designed for professionals working in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings, this program serves as an introduction to trauma-informed care. Empirically based research findings are highlighted throughout this program.