Paradox and Punishment: Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Juvenile Detention Facilities

Implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) in youth-serving spaces is a growing priority in the juvenile legal system, including in youth detention facilities. This study examines implementation of the six principles of TIC using in-depth interviews with detained girls ( n = 25) and survey data from detention facilities in the United States ( n = 44). In general, we find facilities understood and applied TIC. However, girls’ experiences highlight the paradox of implementing “trauma-informed” practices in a punishment-oriented setting. Despite the efforts made by system actors to implement TIC, findings demonstrate there are still important avenues for systems change.