Trauma-informed courts: guidance for trauma-informed judicial practices

There has been a growing awareness of trauma, including complex trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, over the last 40 years. This has led to the development of a humane framework for health  practitioners, and more recently, legal and other professionals and the judiciary, usually referred to as “trauma-informed practice”. The purpose of this book is to highlight for judicial officers relevant information about the different types and particular instances of trauma that many individuals before the courts have faced; and provide guidance about how judicial officers may take account of this information in court — from the start to the conclusion of court proceedings. This guidance is not intended to be prescriptive.