Article in Journal of Family Violence 2013 "Systemic Self-Regulation:A Framework for Trauma-Informed Services in Residential Juvenile Justice Programs Question: Can we really change the punitive milieu of juvenile justice programs? This article is academic (long), not gonna lie. But it is a great read about how interactions between staff & youth can be changed by teaching self-regulation of emotions to staff, administrators, and youth, hence making systemic changes that increase the rehabilitative and decrease punitive atmospheres in juvenile justice programs. Great explanation for how trauma affects youth as well as how staff are vicariously traumatized & maintain PTSD symptoms in youth in their reactions and interactions.
Here's the link:http://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/Trauma%20Services%20in%20Residential%20Juvenile%20Justice%20Settings_Ford_Blaustein.pdf
While I believe that this type of training would do wonders for the staff that wants to be involved in the redemption and rehabilitation of kids, I think that it wouldn't be as effective until a better hiring system is in place to keep predators and psychologically unstable people from being employed in the system. Some abuses, especially the rampant sexual assault of kids by staff, would still be present and undealt with, leaving the kids to continue in the re-traumatization process.
ReplyDeleteThis paper impressed me by pointing out the vicious cycle between trauma-impacted youth and staff in the juvenile justice residential facilities. It was my first time to understand the stressors faced by staff, including vicarious trauma, direct exposure in the line of duty to traumatic stressors, and political and economic pressures. In additional, the dysregulated staff aggravated dysregulation of the youth therefore constituted the vicious cycle in the whole system. In order to provide solution of this phenomenon, trauma-informed self-regulation is necessary for both staff and youth in juvenile justice system.
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