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Home / Resources / Adapting Custodial Practices to Reduce Trauma for Incarcerated Women
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Adapting Custodial Practices to Reduce Trauma for Incarcerated Women

Source: Urban Institute

Resource Type: Website or Webpage Article

Focus Population: People who have experienced Trauma, People with Criminal Justice System Involvement

Topics: Criminal or Juvenile Justice System, Trauma-informed

Without intentionally changing custodial practices to consider women’s histories of victimization and reduce further trauma, correctional facilities will continue to trigger, retraumatize, and harm the women in their custody. This report details how departments of corrections (DOCs) and women’s prisons adapt operational philosophies and custodial practices to reduce trauma and victimization. Most study participants recognized that women have unique needs, pathways to incarceration, and victimization histories that must be considered in policies and practices, and incorporated gender-responsive training into their core staff curricula. Some adapted processes for body searches and discipline, sanctions, and incentives. However, incarcerated women we spoke with indicated that custodial practices are highly dependent on officer discretion and that officers do not always follow protocols. Beyond some accommodations for pregnant people, places struggled to adapt the use of restraints, force, and restrictive housing. Although places overwhelmingly demonstrated that they are trauma informed, they struggle to be trauma responsive, facing challenges in developing and implementing policies and practices to consider trauma in all operational practices and in their correctional culture. Importantly, facilities and DOCs that participated in this study did demonstrate a willingness to improve practices and a need for support and additional resources to do so. This report concludes with recommending ways corrections professionals can take more gender-responsive and trauma-informed approaches to working with women.

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