Trauma is not just a personal problem; it’s a social issue that affects entire communities. The consequences are especially severe when communities struggle with patterns of trauma and retraumatization over long periods of time. Our past studies have illustrated how damaging this untreated trauma is on communities of color.
In one of our studies, we found that trauma in everyday life makes gun violence much more of a risk in communities of color. With an outlook conditioned by chronic trauma, marginalized youths see little reason to plan for the future and stay out of trouble. Young Black men who feel alienated and hopeless in an unjust system are especially prone to gun violence.
As one community influencer told us, “My target population don’t believe in having a chance to begin with, so ‘gun charge kills your chances,’ they’re like ‘I don’t have a chance anyway.’” Another influencer confirmed this feeling, stating: “Number one, you’re talking about some individuals who don’t expect to live to 40. They don’t think they’re gonna live that long or they can’t comprehend that.”
The trauma continues for people who end up in the criminal justice system. Another Zebra study found that “Being imprisoned is a traumatic experience with little opportunity for rehabilitation … Across the board there were stories of violence, poor conditions, humiliation, and victimization.”
As a result, people who have been incarcerated have a high chance of re-entering society in a traumatized state. One participant told us, “I was never in the military, but I really think I had some kind of PTSD stuff gettin’ out. I saw several people die while I was in.”
The criminal justice system is also loaded with retraumatization for formerly incarcerated people, or returning citizens, as we prefer to call them. Returning citizens have countless limitations on their freedom and face the constant threat of getting sent back to prison for small infractions like being late for a probation meeting or drinking alcohol. Most find it difficult to get a job or education and have to rely on others for support.
In essence, returning citizens aren’t considered part of society anymore. One interviewee described her experience well: “You have to create a new life. Going back to your old one – you have been marked with a prison number that will never go away, no matter what you do. No matter how many lives you save or how many burning buildings you run into. It will never go away.”
With traumatization and retraumatization everywhere, it’s no wonder that recidivism rates are so high. One study found that 76 percent of people released from state prisons were arrested for a new crime within five years.
Clearly, the experience of acute and chronic trauma presents a serious challenge for us all to overcome.