The Accumulation of ACEs and the Impact on Offending for Incarcerated Youth

This chapter discusses the lives of justice-involved youth and contrasts that with the ways in which offending youth are portrayed in the media and by politicians. The chapter then examines the impact of the accumulation of ACEs, and their impact on violent and repeat offending, followed by a discussion about ways in which Attachment Theory can explain this behaviour. The chapter concludes with policy and practice implications for youth justice agencies, based on an examination of three key questions, which identify what governments could do to address populist narratives, the actions needed by youth justice agencies needed to focus on ACEs, and concl;udes with addressing ACEs through a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) approach.