Creating the Trauma-to-Prison Pipeline: How the U.S. Justice System Criminalizes Structural and Interpersonal Trauma Experienced by Girls of Color
Creating the Trauma-to-Prison Pipeline: How the U.S. Justice System Criminalizes Structural and Interpersonal Trauma Experienced by Girls of Color
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DOI：
10.1111/fcre.12384
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发表时间：
2018-10-01
影响因子：
0.8
通讯作者：
Baumle, DeAnna
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Baumle, DeAnna
The staggering number of girls in the juvenile justice system who have experienced abuse is described as the sexual- abuseto- prison pipeline. However, this pipeline does not capture the entire picture, nor does it fully explain the unjustifiable disproportionality of girls of color and girls from low- income communities in the system. This article builds on the foundation of the sexual- abuse- to- prison pipeline to develop the trauma- to- prison pipeline, describing how the juvenile justice system criminalizes girls because of their experiences of multiple and intersecting forms of trauma, including trauma resulting from the structural forces of racism and poverty. Key Points for the Family Court Community: _ The incarceration of women and girls has increased dramatically over the past few decades, yet girls are often left out of discussions about mass incarceration and the school- to- prison pipeline. This article describes how girls, particularly girls of color, are targeted by and funneled into the juvenile justice system. _ Although there is no comprehensive research on all of the abuse and trauma that justice- involved girls have experienced, the data imply that an overwhelming number of girls have experienced abuse and trauma prior to entering the juvenile justice system. When the concept of trauma is expanded to include complex trauma that results from structural forces like poverty and racism, it seems highly likely that every justice- involved girl has experienced trauma. _ Most, if not all, status offenses and crimes that result in girls' involvement in the juvenile justice system can be directly linked to a normal and often adaptive trauma reaction. Paired with the startlingly high numbers of justice- involved girls who have experienced abuse and the disproportionate numbers of girls of color in the system, it appears that girls are funneled into the system because of the structural and interpersonal trauma they have experienced. _ If girls are indeed criminalized because of the structural and interpersonal trauma they have experienced, the only truly effective way to dismantle the trauma- to- prison pipeline is to decriminalize trauma reactions and address the root causes of trauma.
