School Staff Perspectives on the Challenges and Solutions to Working With Court‐Involved Students

Abstract

Teachers and school staff can play a role in the educational well-being of court-involved youth. However, they need trauma-specific knowledge and resources to be effective.

Trauma and Triggers: Students’ Perspectives on Enhancing the Classroom Experiences at an Alternative Residential Treatment-Based School

“…Another major finding is external problems that hinder ability to thrive. Similar to other studies focusing on students in both public (Overstreet & Mathews, 2011;Smithgall et al, 2013;Vidourek et al, 2016) and RT school settings (Crosby et al, 2015;Day et al, 2015), students reported experiencing stress before entering the classroom due to overwhelming socioemotional histories and peer or familial concerns. Students may become consumed by personal dilemmas that may prohibit school performance and attendance, and they are unable to focus on lessons when they are truant.…”

“…Educational opportunities vary greatly in RT settings, from off-campus, public school partnerships in the local community to educational services offered on-site at the RT facility. Although traumatic experiences can affect students in public school environments (Overstreet & Mathews, 2011;Smithgall, Cusick, & Griffin, 2013;Vidourek, King, & Merianos, 2016), youths in RT school settings may have unique trauma-related issues (Crosby, Day, Baroni, & Somers, 2015;Day et al, 2015). This article is restricted to understanding the educational experiences of RT youths in educational programs offered on-site at an RT facility.…”

“…To address the gap in understanding how schools in RT facilities meet the educational needs of courtinvolved youths, this study seeks to apply phenomenology (Palmer, Larkin, de Visser, & Fadden, 2010) to explore traumatized RT students' often hidden perspectives and lived experiences in their education environment. Recent research has illustrated the connection between students' moods and emotional states and their ability to engage effectively in the classroom (Crosby et al, 2015;West, Day, Somers, & Baroni, 2014;Wolpow et al, 2009). In the current study, we explore the following research question: What factors trigger negative moods (school disengagement) or enhance positive moods (school engagement) among court-involved youths enrolled in an RT facility school, and how do students perceive how RT staff, teachers, and other school officials respond to behaviors manifested in the academic setting?…”

Trauma‐Informed Approaches to Juvenile Justice: A Critical Race Perspective

“…They should also abide by six main principles: Safety; Trustworthiness and Transparency; Peer Support; Collaboration and Mutuality; Empowerment, Voice and Choice; and Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues. Research has also shown the efficacy of trauma-informed practices in various child-serving systems, including schools (Crosby, Day, Baroni, & Somers, 2015;Day et al, 2015;Penner & Wallin, 2012), mental health youth residential programs (Hummer, Dollard, Robst, & Armstrong, 2010), child welfare (Conradi et al, 2011;Greeson et al, 2011;Griffin et al, 2011;Ko et al, 2008;Kramer, Sigel, Conners-Burrow, Savary, & Tempel, 2012), and juvenile probation (Maschi & Schwalbe, 2012). Comprehensive efforts to include trauma-informed approaches for all who serve potentially traumatized youth is recommended by several major mental health and child-focused organizations, including SAMHSA and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.…”

“…Comprehensive efforts to include trauma-informed approaches for all who serve potentially traumatized youth is recommended by several major mental health and child-focused organizations, including SAMHSA and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Research has also shown the efficacy of trauma-informed practices in various child-serving systems, including schools (Crosby, Day, Baroni, & Somers, 2015;Day et al, 2015;Penner & Wallin, 2012), mental health youth residential programs (Hummer, Dollard, Robst, & Armstrong, 2010), child welfare (Conradi et al, 2011;Greeson et al, 2011;Griffin et al, 2011;Ko et al, 2008;Kramer, Sigel, Conners-Burrow, Savary, & Tempel, 2012), and juvenile probation (Maschi & Schwalbe, 2012). Overall, the purpose of the juvenile justice system is to address delinquent youth as a vulnerable population, provide for the welfare of child offenders, and to advocate for least restrictive treatment environments (Dewey & Gottlieb, 2011).…”