Trauma and Justice SIG

The Trauma and Justice special interest group provides a forum for ISTSS members who are interested in the intersections between traumatic stress studies and legal system involvement. This interdisciplinary group of researchers, clinicians, forensic evaluators, policymakers, and other professionals focuses on the impact of trauma relevant to how traumatic stress might increase one’s risk of legal system involvement, and conversely how legal system involvement might increase risk for trauma exposure. This SIG aims to promote trauma-informed legal systems, including trauma-informed assessments, services, and policies within the juvenile justice, criminal justice, immigration, and child welfare systems. Globally, identity-based (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity) economic, and disability disparities are endemic within legal systems, therefore such disparities and social justice are also key interests of the Trauma and Justice SIG. This SIG will increase ISTSS conference presentations and other activities that help to inform the ISTSS community of forensic and legal issues in traumatic stress studies.

Chair: 

Suzanne Best, Ph.D.

Student Chair: 

Janelle Robinson
The City University of New York

Dyamon Brown
Texas A&M University

Trauma and Justice SIG Listserv Address

Members of the Trauma and Justice SIG can use the SIG listserv to share information with the full SIG. istss-trauma-justice-sig@groups.istss.org