Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #10 - Understanding, Assessing, Managing and Reducing RISK (ACJ10-A010)

This article argues that our understanding of risk and criminogenic need can be greatly enhanced by incorporating developments from neuroscience and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) studies about the bio-behavioural impact of accumulating multiple stressors in childhood, especially in the absence of nurturant relationships with an always available, emotionally stable adult. Focusing correctional attention on the importance of a felt sense of safety for health and social behaviour may lead to improved individual outcomes in terms of healing, personal development, human connectedness and a reduced propensity for offending behaviour. Informed by extensive trauma training with international experts, this article weaves literature from various disciplines, including mainstream criminology, developmental psychology, critical psychiatry and neurobiology with the narratives of three prisoner interviewees from the author’s recently submitted PhD research to shed light on the problematic trauma-blindness and non-existent healing focus of the dominant risk management approach.

 

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