The history of many young New Mexicans who ended up in juvenile detention shows a brutal betrayal of their innocence and youth.
According to a recent groundbreaking study, the amount of trauma some of these New Mexico juvenile offenders experienced – when compared to their peers across the country – was “off the charts.”
Many were victims of neglect, abandonment, beatings or rape, and were exposed to family violence, mental illness, drug abuse and more.
They had patterns of early childhood abuse and neglect that was seven times higher than similar teens in other national studies.
While the results are grim, the study’s authors – experts from different agencies and fields – say they believe it can be a launch pad for greater interagency and professional collaboration, as well as for growing resources and sharing them.
[For more of this story, written by Donna Olmstead, go to http://www.abqjournal.com/7663...or-early-trauma.html]
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