‘We've all got a big story’: Experiences of a Trauma‐Informed Intervention in Prison

Abstract

This article examines women's experiences of participating in ‘Healing Trauma’; a gender‐responsive, trauma‐informed intervention delivered in women's prisons in England. Victimisation and trauma are prevalent among women in the justice system but are not perceived to be amenable to criminal justice intervention, and there are compelling arguments that correctional environments are inappropriate settings for trauma‐informed programmes. This article analyses focus group discussions with women who completed Healing Trauma to examine the legitimacy of developing trauma‐informed practice in prisons. The women's testimonies indicate that Healing Trauma offers a meaningful opportunity to begin to explore past victimisation that has contributed to their criminalisation.

What is trauma-informed practice? Towards operationalisation of the concept in two prisons for women

“…Studies of women’s experiences of ‘Healing Trauma’ (HT), a trauma-informed intervention delivered in prisons in England and Wales found that, in focus groups, the women said that the programme had the potential to give them opportunities to heal from trauma, and this was crucial given their generally negative experience of imprisonment. The women also highlighted areas of the programme that could be developed, such as follow-up sessions and holistic support outside the group (Petrillo, 2021). 3 Studies in the United States have shown similar promise: Rousseau et al (2019) report on an evaluation of a trauma-informed programme that integrates psycho-education and mindfulness developed by the organisation YogaHOPE.…”

Understanding experiences of suicidality within women’s prisons in England: a systematic review of the qualitative literature

“…The Female Offender Strategy (Ministry of Justice, 2018) emphasised the importance of implementing a trauma informed approach to working with women within the justice system. This has seen several interventions such as “Becoming Trauma Informed” and the Compassionate Recovery and Neurological Empowerment (CRANE) being implemented (Auty et al , 2022; Mahoney et al , 2022; Petrillo, 2021).…”

The weaponisation of ‘trauma-informed’ discourse in prison policy: An abolition feminist critique

“…For example, Bevan's (2022) research on the operationalisation of TIP in the women's prison in Aotearoa/New Zealand highlights the risk that these programs may re-traumatise women and position them as responsible for their trauma. On the other hand, Petrillo's (2021) research on the small pilot 'Healing Trauma' program in English prisons found that participating women reported largely beneficial experiences. While Petrillo concedes that abolitionist feminist concerns about gender-responsive programs contributing to prison expansion are difficult to counter, she argues the reality is that women are in the system and they need support.…”