My new book: “Trauma-informed criminal justice”!

Photo by Robert Anasch on Unsplash

This week I submitted my book to Palgrave Macmillan publishers. I have been working on the book for about 18 months. The book started as my PhD thesis which focused on the degree to which sentencing judges were trauma-informed when responding to defendants with histories of adversity, abuse and trauma. The book is so much more. It includes what I have learned through working with Andy on Magnolia. My book focuses on the idea of compassionate justice for everyone who comes into contact with the criminal justice system. The book is based on some of the same principles of practice that underpin the Magnolia Project: compassion, connection, community.

My book explores the ideas of adversity, trauma and trauma-informed practice and care. I discuss current practices labelled as “trauma-informed” but which are often just good practice. I talk about how the criminal justice system could better support victims of crime. But more than that, I also focus on the impact of the justice system on victims, workers and defendants. I also discuss how judges could sentence in a way that is informed by trauma. But not just trauma: also gender, culture and research evidence.

I am not sure when the book will be available to the public. However, I am really looking forward to sharing it with readers and practitioners, students and justice-involved people to see how we might better achieve a compassionate justice system.