Trauma and Prospects for Reentry

Abstract

Trauma is an almost universal experience for those with incarceration histories. Lifetime traumatic experiences begin in childhood, continue in adulthood, and persist during and after incarceration. For centuries, the capacity for trauma to have a deleterious impact on social, mental, and biological functioning has been a topic of inquiry, and for years empirical work has connected trauma to crime and justice system involvement. Trauma-responsive reentry is the future state of the art for reentry. This review examines the prevalence and consequences of lifetime traumatic experiences for individuals releasing from incarceration and returning home. Extant research on trauma interventions for individuals with incarceration histories is discussed. The review ends with a vision for trauma-responsive reentry, strategies to implement trauma-responsive reentry, a proposed research agenda, and cautions and considerations for debate.