10 Things Every Juvenile Court Should Know About Trauma and Delinquency

It's not a secret that many youth in juvenile court struggle with symptoms related to trauma, but it can be hard to remember in court, when faced with a defiant youth who's been repeatedly delinquent. 
So it's great to see a new publication from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 10 Things Every Juvenile Court Judge Should Know about Trauma and Delinquency. (Even though it seems to be aimed only at judges, it's useful for all staff who work with or in juvenile court.)

Scoff at the idea that trauma could be related to breaking the law? Here's a telling observation from the publication: 

It does not go unnoticed by youth when their safety and well-being is not addressed but their delinquent behavior is. These kinds of paradoxes and frustrations can increase the likelihood that youth will respond defiantly and with hostility to court and other professionals who are in positions of authority. System professionals would benefit from recognizing that imposing only negative or punitive consequences will likely do little to change the youth’s patterns of aggression, rule breaking, and risky behaviors because such a response does not address the impact of traumatic stress on the child. By recognizing and addressing the role of trauma in the lives of youth, the court and other systems can become more effective in meeting the needs of the justice-involved youth and the needs of the community.

And, just to whet your appetite, here's the first three things on the list:
1. A traumatic experience is an event that threatens someone’s life, safety, or well-being.
2. Child traumatic stress can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
3. Trauma impacts a child’s development and health throughout his or her life.
4. Complex trauma is associated with risk of delinquency.
For the rest of the list and lots of helpful detail, including the research behind the publication, download the full document and share it with your colleagues. Other resources on childhood traumatic stress are also available from the document's other co-sponsors, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
For more on teens and trauma, see our webinars:

• "Childhood Trauma: A Trauma Informed Systems Approach," presented by Charles Wilson, director of the Chadwick Center on Children and Families at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Click on the title of his presentation for his slides, or playback the webinar.

• "Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy," presented by Dr. Anthony Mannarino, director of the Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, on December 17, 2008. Click on the title for his presentation slides, or playback the webinar.

Update July 7, 2010 - The Justice Policy Institute just released a new report, Healing Invisible Wounds:‚Ä® Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense, which estimates that 75% to 93% have experienced a traumatic event in their lives -- and most go untreated, making them more likely to recidivate.

Text quoted above is © 2010, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Reno, Nevada. All rights reserved.