Introduction to Special Issue: Trauma-Informed Justice Responses to Interpersonal Harm

This special issue highlights innovative and interdisciplinary responses to rehabilitation, restoration, healing, and justice following interpersonal harm. Research consistently demonstrates that many individuals who cause harm have histories of trauma. Although harmful actions cannot be excused by prior victimization, acknowledging the role of trauma is essential for understanding pathways to violence and for developing more effective justice responses. Initial victimization frequently occurs in childhood, underscoring the critical importance of early intervention and prevention efforts to reduce revictimization and future offending. Evidence further indicates that traditional criminal justice processes may produce harmful or unintended outcomes for those involved. In response, this special issue seeks to disseminate current research, advance awareness, and provide a scholarly platform for evidence-based and trauma-responsive justice practices that promote more positive outcomes for survivors of harm, individuals who have caused harm, and other affected parties. Emphasis is placed on clinical and policy implications for professionals working with individuals and systems impacted by interpersonal harm. Contributions examine justice-related practices and processes across global contexts and multiple levels, including Indigenous traditions, educational settings, and institutions of higher education. The issue also centers on social and psychological assessments of justice processes as they relate to victims, offenders, and broader communities affected by harm.