Professor Gywneth Boswell, Visiting Professor at the University of East Anglia and Director of Boswell Research Fellows. Speaking on childhood and adolescent trauma – impacts on development, and on individual health across the lifecourse Speaking at Beyond Youth Custody's conference: Childhood trauma and young people in the criminal justice system, 19 November 2013.

1. Trauma experiences in the backgrounds of
violent young offenders
Professor Gwyneth Boswell
Boswell Research Fellows & School of
Rehabilitation Sciences, UEA, Norwich

2. The central question of my research
over 22 years has been ‘Why do young
people become violent?’
The identification of trauma experiences in their
backgrounds has become a key feature. But a wider
background to the research needs to be invoked for
developing understanding in:
Professional contexts
Societal contexts
Global contexts
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

3. Violence & murder by children & young
people
Became high profile in the UK in early 1990s following the
murder of 2-year old James Bulger by two 10-year old boys.
Memorable blurred video image of child being led away by his
killers.
Little attempt made to understand the boys’ behaviour – they
were labelled ‘evil’.
Punishment and retribution rather than child welfare were the
models of justice applied.
The trial Judge carried into the courtroom the artefacts of the
death penalty.
The boys were sentenced to a minimum tariff of 15 years (later
reduced to 8 by European Court) longer than they had yet lived.
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

4. Other cases of murder by children and
young people around the world
US – the Colorado school killings by two 11-year olds.
South Africa – the brutal killing and gang-rape of a 14 year-old
girl by a 15-year old boy and four adults.
Recent case of gang-rape and murder of a 23-year old woman
on a bus in India by a 17-year old boy and 5 adults.
All caused public outcry and in South Africa a petition for the
return of the death penalty, abolished by Nelson Mandela’s
Government at the end of Apartheid. In India the adults did
receive the death penalty.
In Rwanda, children and young people were imprisoned for
genocide crimes; they and the communities to which they would
return remained traumatized and fearful.
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

5. Other powerful media projections of
violence perpetrated upon children
Child abuse – consistent impact via public inquiry, and a ‘nowin’ situation for professionals. A highly emotive issue which
touches us all.
Primacy of violence demonstrated across the world in
military/religious architecture, statues, art, music, press/TV
coverage of more than 300 wars since WWII.
Violence also enshrined in some justice systems – torture and
capital punishment.
Victims of child labour & prostitution are treated violently
across both the underdeveloped and developed worlds (Save the
Children, 2007)
Physical violence in families frequently seen as normal (Gelles
& Strauss, 1988) – at turn of Millennium, UK government chose
not to make smacking illegal
These images produce confusing models for young people
moving through developmental stages.
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

6. Two studies for the Prince’s Trust
Initial study into needs and experiences of 25 section 53
(1) & (2) offenders (C&YP Act 1933, now sec. 90 & 91,
Powers of the Criminal Courts [Sentencing] Act 2000.
Suggested high prevalence of abuse and traumatic loss in
young offenders’ lives. Second study sought to establish a
reliable figure for this. (Boswell 1996)
Method of 2nd study was to examine 200 centrally-held
files, to note down professionally-confirmed evidence of
child abuse & loss and, where this was partial or
ambiguous, to interview the young people themselves.
72% had experienced abuse – emotional 28.5%; sexual
29%; organized/ritual 1.5%; combinations 27%
57% had experienced significant loss via bereavement
or cessation of contact, usually with a parent
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

7. Further abuse & loss findings
In only 18 out of 200 cases studied were there no
reported evidences of abuse and/or loss. In other words,
the total number of Section 53 offenders who had
experienced one or both phenomena was 91%.
The total number who had experienced both abuse and
loss was 35%, suggesting that the presence of a double
childhood trauma may be a potent factor in the lives of
violent young offenders.
Unresolved trauma is likely to manifest itself in some
way at a later date.
Many children become depressed, disturbed, violent or
all three, girls tending to internalize and boys to externalize
their responses (American Psychiatric Association 2013)
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

8. Case studies of Darren and George
Their cases highlight early abuse and loss which had
not come to light before they committed violent
offences.
It is not suggested that child abuse and loss are the
only potential causes of violent offending or that every
abused child becomes an offender
But abuse and loss are sufficiently prevalent for the
questions always to be asked.
Research evidence backs this up (Smith & McVie 2003;
Lösel & Bender, 2006)
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

9. Evaluation of an enhanced YOI unit for
the Youth Justice Board (Boswell,
Wedge & Price, 2003)
Largely positive findings but used test for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD-1, ) for the first time in YOI research
Test asks whether respondent has experienced an
unusual, extremely distressing event. Affirmative answers
trigger more detailed questions around 4 further criteria:
Is the traumatic event persistently re-experienced?
Does the person persistently avoid associated stimuli or
experience numbing of general responsiveness?
Are there persistent symptoms of increased arousal?
Have symptoms persisted for 28 days before
diagnosis?
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

10. PTSD findings from Enhanced YOI Unit
study
Of 21 young men interviewed twice with an average gap of 9
months, one fifth (4) scored +tive for current PTSD at 1st interview
but only 2 by time of 2nd interview. They cited bullying, military
conflict, terrifying dreams and, for one, the violent offence he
himself had committed.
Three scored +tive for ‘lifetime’ (previous) PTSD.
If 6 others had scored higher on one indicator, they would have
reached diagnosis for current or lifetime PTSD.
Several of those not found to have PTSD nevertheless cited
bullying, violent racism & witnessing death as significant problems
in their lives.
December 9, 2013
g.boswell@uea.ac.uk

11. The usefulness of PTSD testing
 Case studies of Ben & Jennifer suggest that testing
would have helped them progress in their custodial
careers, but the cases also suggest that if the
trauma had been recognised at a much earlier age,
they, like Darren and George, would probably not
have ended up serving many years in custody.
 Where PTSD is not found, or indeed where young
people experiencing trauma have not offended, it
may be that one or both of the main protective
factors have promoted resilience in the young
person. These are education; and being listened to,
believed, and helped by a responsible adult person.
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

12. So what are the ways forward?
We have said these things many times but they always
bear repeating:
1.The age of criminal responsibility should be raised to 14
in line with most other European countries
2.The UN Riyadh guidelines state that custody should be a
last resort for young people
3.Professionals need to be equipped with a firm knowledge
base about trauma and how to recognise it
4.Young people who have been abused need communities
which support them by making it more acceptable for them
to report abuse and other trauma
5.There is a need for full integration of research
programmes into policy formation & effective application in
the CJS.
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

13. Conclusion
 Research-mindedness can help professionals to
represent not only their own views but those of the
public, victims and their families, and the youthful
perpetrators themselves, moving society towards a
greater sense of collective responsibility in the process
 Our responses to young offenders can in this way
become more proactive, confident and accurate within
the very complex child welfare/youth justice arena,
highlighting that:
 The victim and the offender are frequently located in
one single damaged young person.
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

14. Professor Gwyneth Boswell
Boswell Research Fellows
&
School of Rehabilitation Sciences,
University of East Anglia,
Norwich NR4 7TJ
Email: g.boswell@uea.ac.uk
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

15. References
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) 4th edition. Washington D.C: American Psychiatric
Association
American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-V) 5th edition. Washington D.C: American Psychiatric
Association
Boswell, G.R. Waiting for Change: An exploration of the experiences and needs of
Section 53 offenders. London: The Prince’s Trust.
Boswell, G. R. (1995) Violent Victims. London: The Prince’s Trust.
Boswell, G. R. (1996) Young and Dangerous: the Backgrounds and Careers of
Section 53 Offenders. Aldershot: Avebury
Boswell, G.R. (2000) Violent Children and Adolescents : Asking the Question Why.
London: Philadelphia: Whurr Publishers.
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

16. References (cont.)
Boswell, G.R., Wedge, P. & Price, A. (2003) An Evaluation of Regimes for Section
90/91 Offenders at HM Young Offender Institutions Feltham, and Carlford Unit,
Warren Hill. A Report to the Youth Justice Board.
Elliott, C. M. (1988) Signs of Our Times. Basingstoke: Marshall Pickering.
Gelles, R. J. & Strauss, M. A. (1988) Intimate Violence. New York: Simon and
Schuster.
Home Office, Department of Health, Department of Education and Science, Welsh
Office (1991) Working Together under the Children Act 1989. A guide to
arrangements for inter-agency co-operation for the protection of children from
abuse. London: HMSO.
James Smith , D. (1994) The Sleep of Reason: the James Bulger case. London:
Century.
Morrison, B. (1997) As If. London: Granta Books.
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

17. References (cont.)
Save the Children (2007) The Small Hands of Slavery. London: Save the
Children
Smith, D. & McVie, S. (2003) Theory and Method in the Edinburgh
Study of Youth Transitions and Crime, British Journal of Criminology
43(1):169 -195.
United Nations (1990) Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines). New York: Department of Public
Information.
United Nations General Assembly (1989) Convention on the Rights of
the Child. New York: United Nations.
Wedge, P., Boswell, G., Dissel, A. (2000) Violent Victims in South
Africa: key factors in the backgrounds of young, serious offenders.
Acta Criminologica 13 (1) and 13 (2).
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk

18. References (cont.)
Widom, C. & White, H. (1997) Problem behaviour in abused and neglected children
grown up: prevalence and co-occurrence of substance abuse, crime and violence.
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health 7: 287-310.
Young, J.E. (1990) Cognitive therapy for personality disorders: a schema-focused
approach. Sarasota, F.L: Professional Resource Exchange.
Yule, W. (1993) Children as victims and survivors. In P. J. Taylor (Ed.) Violence in
Society. London: Royal College of Physicians.
Zwane, W. (2000) Understanding Children and Youth: pathways to a violent lifestyle
- the South African case. Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and
Reconciliation.
__________________
December 9, 2013
a.killett@uea.ac.uk