Report Summary
A Public Briefing summarising Police Scotland's Trauma-Informed Practice. Published in May 2025.
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Impact of Trauma
Childhood is a critical time in a person’s development and can have a huge impact upon an adult’s life. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are commonly occurring events that increase stress on a developing child or young person. They include:
(INTERPERSONAL) - (DYSFUNCTION)
Childhood physical abuse - Domestic abuse
Childhood sexual abuse - Loss of parent through separation or bereavement
Childhood emotional abuse - Parental mental illness
Childhood physical neglect - Relative in prison
Childhood emotional neglect - Family member uses alcohol or drugs
Being exposed to high levels of stress in childhood is thought to disrupt development in areas of the brain that can manifest as emotional, conduct, risk-taking, and criminal behaviours in adulthood. Research by Public Health Wales found that individuals who had experienced more than 4 ACEs were:
- 4 times more likely to be high risk drinkers.
- 14 times more likely to have been the victim of violence over the last 12 months.
- 15 times more likely to have committed violence against others over the last 12 months.
- 20 times more likely to have been incarcerated.
In addition, ACE scores are associated with higher work stress for police officers.
