Penn State email: slt62@psu.edu
Biography
Thank you for visiting my page. I am Dr. Sandra L. Trappen, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Penn State University. In my current role, I am a sociologist and criminologist with a research program focused on the study of corrections, police, and law enforcement officers – special emphasis on trauma-informed approaches to corrections and policing. Current research addresses the trauma history of probation and pretrial services officers, where I examine the relation between traumatic stress exposure, health risk, and other risk behaviors. My team’s collective efforts aim to enhance understanding and methodologies within the field, leveraging skills in both quantitative and qualitative research.
I earned my Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and a Master’s degree from Fordham University. Publications address problems in policing and advocate for trauma-informed approaches to criminal justice. My research is published in Perspectives on Politics, the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, and the Journal for Prevention and Intervention in the Community.
Research & Teaching Interests
- Community Corrections & Probation
- Policing Operations
- Police Health
- Trauma-informed Criminal Justice
- Violence Risk Assessment
- Sociology of Violence
- Racial Equity
Expertise
- Trauma & Health studies
- Program Evaluation
- Quantitative & Qualitative research methods: Interviews, Surveys, Focus Groups, Observational methodologies
Current Research
Policing and corrections researchers have increasingly been focused on the problem of police stress and trauma. In community corrections, efforts to become trauma informed have almost exclusively been focused on justice involved persons. As such, they have tended to overlook the experiences of staff, including probation and pretrial services officers.
I recently concluded an exploratory project that examines the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among U.S. Probation and Pre-trial Services Officers. We used a validated 10-category ACE questionnaire to assess USPO trauma exposure and compute their ACE scores (scored 1-10). Analysis and findings call attention to high levels of childhood trauma exposure that were documented for a sample (n=423) of officers. Significant between-group differences were found for men and women and for non-white officers compared to non-Hispanic white officers. Trauma experiences were found to be especially prevalent among officers who represent historically vulnerable groups.
This research produced base-line data that is presently being incorporated into program evaluation studies that are designed to inform policy and address health and wellness issues related to the trauma and stress event exposure of probation and police officers.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACEs) are specific encounters that occur in childhood prior to the age of 18, which researchers consider to be traumatic.
Implications
The implications of this work are significant as they might be used to inform future efforts to understand how cumulative trauma exposures (early trauma combined with occupational adult trauma) might impact officer health and wellness. Likewise, findings might be used to address institutional concerns regarding officer morale, retention and turnover, and job satisfaction.
Recommendations
Corrections leaders should adopt a more comprehensive approach to assessing officer health and wellness. Targeted interventions should be developed to support officers who identify as members of vulnerable groups (female officers, officers of color, and especially female officers of color), as our research finds these officers may be at greater risk of experiencing negative health consequences due to early trauma exposure.
Ongoing Research
Continuing research is attuned to measuring not only primary (childhood) trauma exposure but also secondary trauma exposure experienced by probation and corrections officers (federal, state, and county) while on the job.
Book Project
Undead Histories: Manufacturing Inequality in Pittsburgh’s River Towns looks at social inequality, typified by uneven development and social problems associated with poverty, in the deindustrialized river towns of the Monongahela Valley, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The book reports data derived from ethnographic observation and qualitative interviews that call attention to social changes that took place in Pittsburgh since the 1970’s. This era was shaped by large-scale post-World War II social and economic developments that occurred in connection with a process of deindustrialization, as the region transformed itself from one that was materially, culturally, and symbolically associated with the steel industry to a more diversified economy, driven by healthcare and technology companies.
International Education (Study Abroad)
I was fortunate to spend a number of years living abroad in Italy, which explains my deep involvement with programs that aim to deliver study/live abroad opportunities for my students. In light of this, I have dedicated considerable time and effort to help students develop their global awareness while strengthening cross-cultural competencies through participation in study abroad programs. All things considered, I have taken more than 50 students to Italy since the start of these programs.
As a champion of these programs, I have developed expertise to to help students securing funding to support their studies abroad. Likewise, I use the trips as an opportunity to promote Penn State’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, given how travel of this nature has historically tended to exclude underrepresented student groups.
Military Field Research
In addition to my academic work on police stress and trauma, I previously worked (during graduate school) as an advisor to the U.S. Army, where I performed program evaluation for social science research conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have held various government security clearances and am currently clearance eligible. My dissertation research, “Empty Metal Jacket: The Biopolitical Economy of War & Medicine” investigated how war shaped the social organization of medicine. Comparative historical case studies document how combat injury and casualty accounting was (is) bound up with the problem of military whiteness that is embedded in U.S. militarism and military service. Findings call attention to the social history of white groups hurting themselves and others in order to maintain economic, gender, and racial dominance.
Media/Press
I am local to the Pittsburgh area and am available for interviews on topics that fall within my research expertise: police stress and trauma, firearms, gun violence, and criminal justice policy issues.
It would be appropriate for officials to contact me if they are seeking local/regional expertise on police stress, gun violence, drug problems, and other community-based social problems. To arrange an interview, contact Penn State Academic Affairs, Ms. Connie Surman, (412) 675-9052; or contact me at my university email: slt62@psu.edu
How to Use this Site:
This site is meant to serve as an online interactive space and resource hub for my students and anyone else who would like to learn with us, even if you are not at Penn State University or able to take courses in person. Non-students should bear in mind that these pages were developed to foster student interaction, both within and across the different courses that I teach. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that you do so as our guest.
On the left margin of the website page, you will find links to the different courses I teach. Each course contains a series of media modules that explore different topics. The comment links in the modules provide students and others with opportunities to participate in discussion and exchange.
Comments Policy
All who wish to contribute constructive comments are welcome. Comments must be relevant to the topic at hand, must not contain advertisements, degrade others, or violate laws or considerations of privacy. I strive to make this a safe space for all. I value a diversity of opinions but I insist they are presented in ways that are respectful of others.
All forms of trolling and aggressive posting are prohibited. Professional standards of decorum apply for all commenting activity. While I do not “censor” comments, abusive and unprofessional comments will not be retained for publication. Any obscene, violent, profane, taunting or antagonistic content will be removed. In this effort, I rely on my community members to support this endeavor through personal accountability and mutual respect.
Comments will only be posted when they are accompanied by a valid and functioning email address. These addresses are only visible to me (not to readers).
I encourage the use of real names but do not prohibit the use of pseudonyms, provided you do not impersonate a real person.
Here are some general rules of the road:
Rule 1: Does your comment pass the “Mother” test – that is, would you let your mother read it?
Rule 2: Don’t be a rage factory. IOW don’t insult people.
Rule 3: All ideas are welcome if they can survive. Clap-backs are encouraged.
Rule 4: This is my house; it’s not a free speech zone. Hate speech is not welcome here.
Thank you!
Professor Trappen
slt62@psu.edu
Grading papers in the faculty lounge @ Hunter College, City University of New York.
Staff @ Academia Italiana, Salerno, Italy (study abroad)
