header-logo header-logo

03 February 2021 / Felicity Gerry KC
Issue: 7919 / Categories: Features , In Court , Training & education
printer mail-detail

Trauma-informed courts (Pt 1)

38174
Felicity Gerry QC on why being trauma-informed is an issue for court integrity
  • Adopting a trauma-informed approach is an integral aspect of procedural fairness for the courts, and any failure to do so can impact on court integrity.

Experts agree, however, that essential components of trauma-informed care include awareness of the prevalence of trauma, understanding about the impact on service utilization and engagement, and commitment to incorporating those understandings in policy, procedure, and practice’ (Yatchmenoff D et al, ‘Implementing Trauma-Informed Care: Recommendations on the Process’, 2017 Advances in Social Work 18(1):167).

This is the first in a two-part series on trauma-informed courts. Part 1 suggests that courts taking a trauma-informed approach is an integral aspect of procedural fairness, and any failure to do so impacts on court integrity. Part 2 provides practical proposals for trauma-informed practices.

Introduction

The integrity of a criminal justice system is linked to trustworthiness and fairness. It exists in a cultural context and is associated with the moral authority of the individual and the

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Partner joinscorporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Firm strengthens children department with adoption and surrogacy expert

Penningtons Manches Cooper—Graham Green

Penningtons Manches Cooper—Graham Green

Media and technology expert joins employment team as partner in Cambridge

NEWS
Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Thousands more magistrates are to be recruited, under a major shake-up to speed up and expand the hiring process
The winners of the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026 have now been announced, marking another outstanding celebration of excellence, innovation, and impact across the legal profession
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
back-to-top-scroll