When we think of the criminal justice system, the focus often falls on punishment and deterrence. But for many women, their journey into this system is deeply rooted in something far more complex and heartbreaking: childhood trauma. Abuse, neglect, and violence in childhood can make it more likely for these women to have problems throughout their lives, which can lead to them ending up in jail. We need to understand this link if we want to stop the cycle and give these women the help they urgently need.
Understanding Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma is any traumatic event that happens to a child while they are growing up. This can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or witnessing domestic violence. For some, it might also involve losing a parent or caregiver, experiencing extreme poverty, or living in an environment where safety is never guaranteed. These experiences don’t just cause short term pain; they often leave deep scars that change how a person sees and interacts with the world around them.
Studies show that a significant proportion of women in prison have experienced some form of trauma during their childhood. These traumatic events can alter brain development, affecting emotional regulation, decision-making, and the ability to form healthy relationships. When a young girl grows up in a world where fear, instability, and violence are the norms, it’s no surprise that she might struggle to cope as an adult.
From Trauma to Crime
Some people who were abused as children go on to commit crimes because of how they dealt with their trauma. A lot of women who have been through trauma use unhealthy ways to deal with it, like abusing drugs, self harm, or getting involved with violent people. Even though these actions are harmful, they are often the only way they know how to deal with their strong feelings and memories.
For example, a woman who was abused as a child might use drugs or alcohol to numb her pain. Over time, this can lead to addiction, which may drive her to commit crimes like theft or prostitution to support her habit. In the same way, a woman who grew up in a violent home might see violence as a way to protect herself, which could lead to fights that end with criminal charges.
In addition to this, stress can keep people in cycles of poverty and mental illness. Women who have been through trauma and haven’t gotten the help they need to deal with it often have low self-esteem, sadness, and anxiety. These mental health problems can make it hard for them to keep a job or a safe place to live, which can make them even more likely to do something desperate.
Gender-Specific Factors
It’s important to remember that childhood stress can have a bigger impact on women than on men. Women are more likely than men to be sexually abused or hurt because of their gender, both as children and as adults. Because of this, their path through the criminal justice system is very different and often more complicated.
Women in prison are more likely to self-harm or attempt suicide compared to their males. They’re also more likely to be the primary caregivers for their children, which adds another layer of emotional strain. The pressure of worrying about their children’s welfare while dealing with their own trauma can be overwhelming, leading to further mental health deterioration.
The intersection of trauma with gender-based violence, societal expectations, and economic disadvantages creates a perfect storm for these women. They’re often left with limited options, which can make the criminal justice system seem like the only inevitable outcome.
The Importance of Trauma-Informed Care
There is a strong link between traumatic events in youth and criminal behaviour. This means that the criminal justice system needs to change how it works. This is where trauma-informed care comes in. Trauma-informed care is an approach that recognises the impact of trauma on an individual’s behaviour and seeks to create a safe and supportive environment that promotes healing.
In a trauma-informed setting, staff are trained to understand the signs of trauma and to respond in ways that avoid re-traumatisation. To do this, we might need to show more empathy, offer mental health services, and give women chances to improve their lives through education and job training.
There are already examples of successful trauma-informed programmes that have reduced reoffending rates among women. These programmes focus on helping women understand their trauma, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and build the skills they need to reintegrate into society. There are clear benefits: women who get this kind of help are less likely to go back to jail and more likely to live happy, independent lives.
Interventions to Break the Cycle
Getting involved at more than one level is needed to break the cycle of stress and crime. Early help is very important. This means supporting at-risk families before trauma occurs, with interventions such as parenting classes, mental health services, and information about how trauma affects people. To stop stress from happening in the first place, we need to deal with its causes.
Community support is also so important. Women who have experienced trauma need safe spaces where they can heal and rebuild their lives. This might involve mentoring programmes, therapy groups, or community centres that offer resources and support. These spaces allow women to connect with others who have had similar experiences. This helps them to feel less isolated and more understood.
Support following release is another important piece of the puzzle. When women get out of prison, they often face a lot of problems, like getting housing, jobs, and ways to take care of their mental health. Providing ongoing care, help with housing, and job training that is specifically designed for them can make a big difference in their ability to stay out of jail.
Bridge Support
Here at Bridge, we support ex-offenders to live independently, protecting the public and providing low-cost mental health care. We offer support and education on an individualised basis. Our unique approach starts with building a relationship with the person before they are even released from prison.
Our Tilt service for women encompasses all aspects of a woman’s wellbeing, including her physical and mental wellbeing, self-esteem, and relationships with family and children, and will be based upon trauma-informed care. The women are housed in an environment with the fewest restrictions possible. There is support available to build the skills needed for successful integration back into society, including housing, financial management, education, and employment. You can learn more about our Tilt Project here.
Further reading
Challenges and mental health needs of women in prison
Every part of the justice system fails mentally ill people
