Organizational support for the potentially traumatic impact of video evidence of violent crime in the criminal justice system: ‘We’re almost making more victims’

Abstract

As graphic video evidence becomes a standard element in the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, criminal justice organizations must consider and address exposure to and impact of this potentially traumatizing workplace material for criminal justice professionals. Using a discovery-oriented qualitative design and a long-interview method of data collection, this study explores organizational responses to the exposure of criminal justice professionals to a growing volume of video evidence of violent crime. Repeated exposure to high-quality video evidence has the effect of placing criminal justice professionals in the midst of traumatic events, resulting in responses that are akin to trauma contagion. However, organizational awareness and the acceptance of trauma and support systems have not kept pace with the exponential rise in exposure, often being deployed when the person is no longer able to continue in their role. As a result, affected individuals may over-rely on equally affected colleagues for support, intensifying the cycle of trauma contagion. Organizational responses to reduce trauma contagion and the psychological burden on professionals working with video evidence of violent crime should occur at three levels: prevention through moderating exposure; preparation through creating a culture of awareness and acceptance; and intervention through systematic and formal supports.

“Wading through the worst that humanity does to each other”: New Zealand Crown prosecutors’ experiences of working with potentially traumatic material in the criminal justice system

“…Consistent with previous studies exploring the experiences of criminal lawyers, Crown prosecutors acknowledged persistent and prolonged exposure to trauma through their work in the criminal justice system (e.g., Maguire and Byrne, 2017 ; Weir et al, 2021 ; Birze et al, 2022a ). Unique to the role of a Crown prosecutor was the heightened exposure to serious physical and sexual violence.…”

“…Particularly for those with limited previous interactions with crime and the criminal justice system, this had been a confronting experience when starting out in the role. Research has documented how the rise in digital technology (e.g., audio and video recordings, the internet, and social media) has led to an increase in exposure to such material in the administration of justice and the enduring impact that this has on professionals working in the criminal justice system ( Kimpel, 2021 ; Birze et al, 2022a ). Consistent with McCann and Pearlman’s (1990) developmental pathways for VT, participants in the current study described how exposure to graphic PTM resulted in negative changes to their perceptions of reality.…”

"I can't unsee the things I've seen": Exploring Police Prosecutors' Experiences of Engaging with Potentially Traumatic Materials

“…The third phase of the model describes how police prosecutors are exposed to PTM, and the impacts this exposure has on their personal lives and wellbeing, as well as factors that affect the severity of these impacts. The type of PTM that police prosecutors in the current study struggled with was consistent with the experiences of other criminal justice professionals, with visual material considered more impactful than written (Birze, Regehr, & Regehr, 2022aParkes et al, 2019a;Te Miha, 2023;Weir et al, 2021), and cases with vulnerable victims being the most challenging (R. Kim, 2021;Ravera, 2022). Police prosecutor attitudes to being exposed to PTM also reflected that seen in the literature, with some finding it motivating (Kimpel, 2021), and others finding it upsetting (Huey et al, 2023).…”

“…A large body of literature has examined the preferred coping strategies of emergency services personnel (Rowe & Regehr, 2010), however few studies have examined the strategies employed by back-office CJS staff (Duran & Woodhams, 2022). Across frontline and back-office criminal justice staff, peer support has been identified as a preferred coping strategy to mitigate the impacts of direct and indirect trauma exposure (Alves et al, 2023;Birze, Regehr, & Regehr, 2022a;Duran & Woodhams, 2022;R. Kim, 2021;Perez et al, 2010;Strickland et al, 2023;Weir et al, 2021Weir et al, , 2022.…”

“…A systematic literature review exploring help-seeking in emergency service staff reported mixed results in relation to mandatory mental health support, with some believing the lack of choice created resistance, and others reporting that it acted to reduce stigma because everyone had to do it (Auth et al, 2022). In terms of factors that hinder help-seeking, fear of negative career repercussions if seen to be struggling (Bell et al, 2022;Birze, Regehr, & Regehr, 2022a;R. Kim, 2021;Martin et al, 2021;Ravera, 2022;Te Miha, 2023;Weir et al, 2021) and feeling that support services are not fit for purpose (Birze, Regehr, Paradis, et al, 2022;Duran & Woodhams, 2022;R.…”