Childhood trauma is the norm, not the exception, in prison psychiatric care

Records from 3,400+ adults in Dutch prison psychiatry found over half of men and nearly two-thirds of women had repeated trauma before 18.

This study looked at how common difficult childhood experiences are among people receiving psychiatric care inside Dutch prisons. Researchers reviewed records from more than 3,400 adults and found that over half of the men and nearly two‑thirds of the women had gone through repeated trauma before age 18. Men who had multiple adverse childhood experiences were more likely to have developmental disorders, substance‑use problems, personality disorders, trauma‑related conditions, and a history of violent offenses. For women, repeated childhood trauma was most strongly linked to personality disorders. Overall, the findings highlight how early trauma shapes later mental health and behavior, and they reinforce the need for trauma‑informed care and early intervention—especially in forensic and correctional settings.