{"id":2544,"date":"2023-12-06T06:01:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T11:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/?p=2544"},"modified":"2023-12-07T05:39:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-07T10:39:47","slug":"can-ending-child-abuse-reduce-incarceration-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/2023\/12\/06\/can-ending-child-abuse-reduce-incarceration-rates\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Ending Child Abuse Reduce Incarceration Rates?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration declared that more than two-thirds of children reported at least one traumatic event by age 16 (SAMHA, 2023). With staggering numbers like those, many of those reading this entry today would have suffered some traumatic event in their lives, more specifically during their childhood. So, how do those events shape who we are as we enter adulthood?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Child abuse is often linked to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which can have long-lasting effects on a person’s mental health, behavior, and overall well-being. The CDC stated that ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adolescence and adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential. However, ACEs can be prevented (CDC, 2023). But how?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the CDC, around 60% of adults have at least one traumatic childhood experience, compared to 97% of inmates (Villegas, 2021). Almost all inmates would agree that they suffered some traumatic experience during their childhood. The article from Spectrum News goes on to say that incarcerated people have an average of at least five traumatic childhood experiences (Villegas, 2021).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How often do we think about the history of those who are incarcerated? Maybe during their trial or subsequent potential release. Nevertheless, once incarcerated, is their childhood discussed, and is their trauma assessed? I think this may not be at the top of our to-do list to analyze the background of those incarcerated, but for those who have, it has been eye-opening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Van Der Kolk brought up that if we worked on ending child abuse in the United States, we would reduce the overall rate of depression, alcoholism, suicide, drug use, and domestic violence, as well as incarceration rates (Van Der Kolk, 2014). Van Der Kolk\u2019s book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, is an essential read for understanding trauma. In addition, his take on child abuse resonated with me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does one of the most, if not the most, developed countries in the world have the highest incarceration rates? What can we, as a society, moreover, a country, do to stop this? The CDC says creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families can prevent ACEs and help all children reach their full potential (CDC, 2023).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from that, it seems we need to work inside our prison systems as well. Trauma-informed care within correction facilities will help lower recidivism rates and criminal behavior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References<\/span><\/p>\n

Rousseau, D. (2023). <\/span>Module 2 Lecture Notes: Introduction to trauma.<\/span><\/i> Boston University.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SAMHA, (2023). <\/span>Understanding Child Trauma. <\/span><\/i>Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). <\/span>The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. <\/span><\/i>Viking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Villegas, C., (2021). <\/span>Prison project teaches inmates about childhood trauma and its effects. <\/span><\/i>Spectrum News 1.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration declared that more than two-thirds of children reported at least one traumatic event by age 16 (SAMHA, 2023). With staggering numbers like those, many of those reading this entry today would have suffered some traumatic event in their lives, more specifically during their childhood. So, how do […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23058,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23058"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2544"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2546,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544\/revisions\/2546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/daniellerousseau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}