Episode Guides for Youth & Families
Listen | Learn | Share | Act
Flexible and freely-available study guides created to help you reflect on the Roadmap for Change: Trauma Recovery & Juvenile Justice episodes.
About the Episode Guides
The Roadmap for Change podcast by The Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice is all about how the juvenile justice system needs to consider the trauma youth experience both inside and outside the system in order to support youth wellbeing and improve public safety.
You’ll hear stories from youth and families involved in the justice system as well as from experts and professionals who work with these youth in the system so that you can get a complete picture of what’s working, what’s not working, and what can be done to help.
These episode guides contain space to take notes as you listen, reflection questions for when you’re done, recommended steps to put what you’ve learned into action, and linked resources that can help you explore further (or give you something short to share with other folks). This will help you process some of the more complex topics and find the ways that they intersect with your own life experiences, work, and circle of influence.
Choose an Episode Topic
Change in the juvenile justice system is necessary, and it’s possible. Hear from youth and their parents about their experiences with juvenile detention and what they want to see change in the system. Professionals in the field share research and anecdotes about the positive impact of trauma-informed care for youth in the system and public health outcomes.
Experts at every level of the juvenile justice system share how to create system-wide change through collaboration and trust, and how to communicate to youth at every step that someone is on their side and won't let them fail.
Investing in the people who work in the juvenile justice system is a vital component of system-wide improvement. Learn how juvenile justice professionals are using implementation science, reflective leadership, and other tools to make trauma-informed practices the standard for working with youth in the system.
The long term success of youth involved in the juvenile justice system depends on professionals seeing them as whole people, with families and goals and complicated circumstances. In this episode, mental health experts, social workers, and other juvenile justice professionals describe the tools they need to use to make that possible.
In the juvenile justice system, context is everything and authenticity is king. This episode examines the many ways to “show up” for youth in the juvenile justice system and how one “irrationally caring adult” can make all the difference for a youth’s future.
Youth involved in the juvenile justice system are not just individuals; they are part of complex families who are uniquely impacted by the justice system alongside them. In this episode, siblings and caregivers explain the financial, emotional, physical, and social challenges of the juvenile justice system and the ways practitioners in the system can support them.
Making change in the juvenile justice system can be as simple, and as difficult, as making time to describe in plain language why a decision was made or reflecting on the impact our word choice may have on youth. This episode provides reflections on how to improve communication and transparency in juvenile justice settings.
Many neurodivergent youth get caught up in the juvenile justice system because of a moment of crisis or a difference in behavior. This episode covers the experiences of neurodivergent youth and their families and the way the juvenile justice system should focus on preventing harm, not punishing differences.
When it comes to the juvenile justice system, punishment can only go so far to ensure the future health and safety of our communities. Hear from experts about how the juvenile justice system needs to take a Public Health approach that considers how every aspect of the lives of youth impact their future wellbeing and success.
This episode covers the layers of grief and generational trauma that youth in the juvenile justice system might be carrying, as well as the ways professionals can help these youth honor the memory of their ancestors and loved ones as they navigate their dreams and expectations for the future.
Childhood trauma lives in people’s bodies and can often turn into “acting out,” “misbehavior,” or even drug use. Any kind of support or intervention for youth in trouble needs to look deeper and consider their whole physical, mental, and social experience.
Education professionals in the juvenile justice system share how, in order to help justice-involved youth imagine and actualize new futures for themselves, the whole system needs to prioritize providing education funds, resources, and committed teachers and staff who believe in their students.
Looking for staff development curriculum to teach to professionals in the juvenile justice system?
Check out the Roadmap for Change Toolkits designed for anyone working in juvenile justice to supplement their trauma or professional development training!