Date of Defense

4-22-2026

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Patrick Cundiff

Second Advisor

Angela Moe

Abstract

Trauma is a common experience among justice-involved youth, though its developmental and behavioral impacts are not always fully accounted for within juvenile justice systems. Trauma-informed care has emerged as a promising framework for addressing these challenges, however, limited research has examined how consistently such approaches are implemented in practice. This study explores the implementation and perceived effectiveness of trauma-informed care within the juvenile justice system by drawing on semi-structured interviews with five clinicians who have professional experience working with justice-involved youth in the Midwest. The findings indicate that trauma-informed care is not consistently implemented across institutional settings, with 80% of participants describing it as underutilized or only partially integrated due to structural barriers such as limited resources, insufficient training, and the use of punitive practices. Despite these limitations, all participants emphasized the importance of trauma-informed approaches and identified them as critical for improving youth outcomes, including emotional regulation, behavioral functioning, and engagement in treatment. These findings highlight a significant gap between the recognized importance of trauma-informed care and its practical application within juvenile justice systems. This disconnect has important implications for policy and practice, as failure to integrate trauma-informed principles may undermine rehabilitative goals and contribute to continued cycles of recidivism. Overall, this study underscores the need for systemic reform that prioritizes consistent implementation of trauma-informed care to better address the complex needs of justice-involved youth.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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