Trauma- Informed Leadership
Katharine Manning
Trauma is widespread in the corrections environment, affecting both those incarcerated and those who work within these systems. Adopting a trauma-informed approach enhances individual well-being and provides significant operational benefits. Trauma-informed practices also help de-escalate critical incidents, leading to safer environments for staff and incarcerated individuals alike. In addition, effective behavior management improves staff job satisfaction and retention, ultimately lowering turnover and associated hiring and training costs.
While trauma-informed practices are gaining ground in work with incarcerated populations, a broader approach is needed. Trauma-informed leadership across the organization is essential to a high-functioning corrections system.
Unsurprisingly, those who are incarcerated have disproportionately experienced trauma. Men in state correctional facilities suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at rates ten times that of the general male population (Wolff, et al., 2022). The overwhelming majority of women in correctional facilities have experienced interpersonal or sexual violence, with estimates as high as 90% (Miller, Najavits, 2012). Notably, nearly 71% of incarcerated individuals report exposure to violence prior to incarceration (Steiner, et al., 2013). Trauma is not merely a precursor to incarceration—it is a defining aspect of the lived experiences of many incarcerated individuals.
For correctional officers, the statistics are equally troubling. Officers experience depression and PTSD at four times the national average, with a suicide rate 39% higher than other professions (Vera Institute of Justice). Turnover in the field is alarmingly high, with nearly 50% of new officers leaving within five years and state vacancies exceeding 20% in many jurisdictions (Carter, 2022). In states like Mississippi and Alabama, over half of correctional officer positions remain unfilled (Id.). Such data point to an undeniable truth: trauma is pervasive in correctional facilities, and its impact is felt by all.
Trauma: A Shared Challenge Requiring Leadership Action
The definition of trauma that I use in my work is a slimmed-down version of the definition used by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Trauma is a psychological injury that impairs performance. For correctional facilities, understanding trauma’s impact is essential for fostering healthier environments, as is understanding that its causes may be diverse, multiple, and long-past. For some, confronting their trauma means grappling with the aftereffects of violence or abuse. For others, it involves navigating the chronic stress of a high-stakes, high-pressure work environment. No matter the cause, trauma has a detrimental effect on mental and physical health, relationships, and function.
Initial reactions to trauma can include exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, physical arousal, and blunted affect. More severe responses can include continuous distress without periods of relative calm or rest, severe dissociation symptoms, and intense intrusive recollections that continue despite a return to safety. Delayed responses to trauma can include persistent fatigue, sleep disorders, nightmares, fear of recurrence, anxiety focused on flashbacks, depression, and avoidance of emotions, sensations, or activities that are associated with the trauma, even remotely (Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services).
Trauma-informed leadership acknowledges these diverse experiences and aims to mitigate their harmful effects. Trauma-informed organizations operate with a clear understanding of trauma’s impacts, both individual and systemic. They implement practices that create safer, more supportive environments for employees and incarcerated populations alike. This approach requires ongoing awareness, sensitivity, and a commitment to supporting individuals through policies, practices, and culture. This shift in perspective and approach is not simply a matter of compassion—it is a practical strategy for improving workplace morale, reducing turnover, and fostering a rehabilitative culture.
Building a Trauma-Informed Organization
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines six principles for trauma-informed care: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice; and cultural, historical, and gender responsiveness. These principles can be distilled into three actionable concepts for correctional leaders: acknowledgment, support, and trust.
1. Acknowledgment
Acknowledging trauma begins with listening. Sharing a story of trauma can be healing, mentally, and even physically (Robinson 2017). It isn’t enough merely to allow people to share their experiences, though; they need to feel genuinely heard, as well. They need to be acknowledged. An acknowledgement can be as simple as a supervisor saying to an employee whose spouse is dying, “Thanks for letting me know. I’m sorry for all you’re going through,” or an officewide communication that addresses a community trauma. The key is that an acknowledgment neither denies the experience of those suffering (“It will all work out for the best”) or distracts from it (“Let me tell you how I persevered through something similar”). In particular, try to restrain the impulse to problem solve unless you’ve been invited to do so. The book, The Empathetic Workplace: 5 Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job, provides a framework for effective responses to trauma at work.
Establishing quick, routine check-ins with staff also creates an environment where issues can surface and be addressed more quickly. Supervisors should aim for weekly check-ins that are geared toward open communication and that demonstrate interest in the person beyond their work responsibilities.
Finally, it’s important to demonstrate that it is acceptable to raise difficult topics or emotions. When there are issues that are affecting people that no one feels comfortable raising, they can become elephants in the room, silently looming over everything: A supervisor’s refusal to address the fact that half the team has quit in the past six months. A deafening silence and business as usual after a horrific tragedy in the world. The failure to address such issues doesn’t keep them from the workplace; they create fear, gossip, and worry. If we’re going to be authentic at work, we have to be willing to talk about the hard, messy, uncomfortable issues that arise. Approaching such conversations with forethought and a desire to listen can foster an open and supportive environment where each person feels seen, heard, and valued.
2. Support
A trauma-informed environment is also one where people who are struggling are able to access tangible resources that can help them to heal. For staff, this may include mental health services, access to crisis intervention, and peer support programs. For incarcerated individuals, it can involve trauma-informed rehabilitation programs and resources to address the root causes of criminal behavior. Ongoing attention to the types of resources needed and new services that have been developed can be helpful, as is a willingness to be flexible in the application of such resources to allow more people to access them in more circumstances.
It’s also essential to reduce the barriers to using such resources. Thus, talk about the resources available, both widely and frequently. For instance, perhaps your department has a valuable resource that supports employees struggling with addiction. You likely have no idea who might need such a resource, and thus it’s important to talk about it widely, so that everyone knows about it. In addition, we must talk about the resources available repeatedly. It’s possible that when the addiction is first rolled out, it’s done so with great fanfare, but it goes right over someone’s head because he doesn’t need it then. Two years later, though, he really does—but at that point he’s forgotten that it exists. Therefore, we need to talk about the resources available again and again. Awareness months, like September’s Addiction Awareness Month, can help remind us to raise these resources.
Modeling that accessing support is encouraged is another powerful way to reduce barriers to access. It is one thing to say, for example, “we have a great peer support team and I hope you’ll reach out if you could use some help.” It’s another, more powerful thing to say, “we have a great peer support team. They really helped me when I needed it. I hope you’ll reach out if you could use some help.” Thus, talk about your sobriety, your therapist, or your self-care routine. When you do, you help create an environment where mental health is prioritized.
3. Trust
Trust creates a sense of safety and certainty, which is essential for those experiencing trauma. A helpful formula for building trust is the three Cs: Clarity, Consistency, and Choice.
• Clarity: We are transparent about goals, responsibilities, expectations, and needs. Address issues promptly and respectfully, like pointing out a misstep early rather than letting frustration build. Clear communication fosters security and mutual understanding.
• Consistency: We apply rules, responsibilities, and benefits consistently. We can’t privilege one person’s needs over the needs of others, or the organization as a whole. This creates a sense of fairness and ensures that high standards are maintained.
• Choice: Within that framework, we allow people as much autonomy as possible over the decisions that affect their lives. Offering employees decision-making opportunities—such as flexible schedules or input on task priorities—demonstrates trust and builds their confidence. Micromanagement erodes self-trust, while autonomy encourages growth.
• This framework can be used both when addressing individual issues and when setting policy for the department.
Building trust also requires organizations to uphold policies that reflect their stated values. Correctional leaders must be steadfast in addressing misconduct and fostering accountability. Policies designed to combat harassment, promote safety, and support mental health must be clearly communicated and enforced uniformly. Trust grows when individuals see that leadership is committed to fairness and transparency.
Conclusion
Trauma-informed leadership is not just a moral imperative—it is a practical necessity for correctional institutions. By acknowledging the prevalence and impact of trauma, providing robust support systems, and fostering trust through consistent, values-driven action, corrections leaders can transform their organizations into resilient, compassionate spaces.
As the challenges of staffing shortages, mental health crises, and systemic trauma persist, now is the time for correctional leaders to step forward and lead with empathy. Implementing trauma-informed practices is not only a pathway to improving staff retention and morale but also a critical step toward creating safer, more rehabilitative environments for all. Let us seize this opportunity to redefine the culture of corrections—one acknowledgment, one act of support, and one trust-building moment at a time.
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Katharine Manning provides training and consultation on building trauma-informed workplaces. She is the author of The Empathetic Workplace: Five Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job. She has worked on issues of trauma and victimization for more than 25 years including 15 years at the Justice Department, where she was a Senior Attorney Advisor consulting on victim issues in cases like the Madoff investment fraud and the Boston Marathon bombing. She may be reached at kmanning@blackbird-dc.com
References
Carter T. Why does no one want to be a corrections officer? Urban Institute 2022.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2014. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 57.) Chapter 3, Understanding the Impact of Trauma. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/#
Miller NA, Najavits LM. Creating trauma-informed correctional care: a balance of goals and environment. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2012;3. doi: 10.3402/ejpt.v3i0.17246. Epub 2012 Mar 30. PMID: 22893828; PMCID: PMC3402099.
Steiner B, Meade B. Assessing the Relationship between Exposure to Violence and Inmate Maladjustment within and Across State Correctional Facilities. Final Report Submitted to the National Institute of Justice. 2013.
Robinson H, Jarrett P, Vedhara K, Broadbent E. The effects of expressive writing before or after punch biopsy on wound healing. Brain Behav Immun. 2017 Mar;61:217-227. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.11.025. Epub 2016 Nov 24. PMID: 27890660.
Vera Institute of Justice, The prison experience for corrections staff.
Wolff N, Huening J, et al. Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder among incarcerated men. J Urban Health. 2014 Aug;91(4):707-19. doi: 10.1007/s11524-014-9871-x. PMID: 24865800; PMCID: PMC4134447.