'What, if anything, might be utilised from different models of trauma-informed practice in providing legal support to women affected by the CJS?'

Incidence of trauma amongst women involved in the criminal justice system is significantly higher than that of the general population and is regularly linked with women’s offending. In recent years there has been growing interest in trauma-informed practice which seeks to recognise and respond to the prevalence of trauma. This interest has spread to the criminal justice sector, with numerous prisons, probation services and the third sector in the UK all experimenting with implementing trauma-informed approaches. Contact with a legal professional is a common thread that runs through many women’s journeys through the criminal justice system but, in the UK at least, has not been explored as an area in which the aforementioned trauma-informed practices could be utilised. Through hearing the voices of women that have worked with lawyers and the voices of lawyers themselves, this study seeks to examine the extent to which trauma-informed approaches could be usefully implemented at this ‘touchpoint’ in the criminal justice system and whether lawyers could become part of the trauma-informed offer for women.

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Author: Becky Fédia
Published: 2024