TRAUMA AND THE LAW: APPLYING TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICE TO LEGAL AND JUDICIAL CONTEXTS

'TRAUMA AND THE LAW: APPLYING TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICE TO LEGAL AND JUDICIAL CONTEXTS ABSTRACT The applicability of `trauma-informed practice’ to the practice of law is increasingly recognised. While originating from within the field of mental health, mounting evidence supports the contention that `more effective, fair, intelligent, and just legal responses must work from a perspective which is trauma-informed’ (Randall & Haskell, 2013). By contrast, implementation of trauma informed principles to the contexts of law remains in its infancy. This paper introduces the core principles of trauma-informed practice with reference to the many areas of legal practice to which they relate. The evidence base for widespread application of trauma-informed practice within and across the legal system and judiciary is presented, and the many benefits of implementation of trauma informed principles to legal practice are discussed.'

The applicability of `trauma-informed practice’ to the practice of law is increasinglyrecognised.