Notable Recent Publications, September 2025
Reports, Briefs, and Other Resources
Burdeen, C. (2025). The heart of the defense: exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and client-centered lawyering in public defense. (Doctoral Dissertation, National Louis University).
https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1981&context=diss
(shortened) This dissertation explores the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), cultural competence, and client-centered lawyering (CCL) within the public defense system. Using a mixed-methods design, this study analyzed quantitative data from 96 White public defenders and qualitative data from a focus group of 7 experienced public defense trainers. Because of the disparate racialized impact of the criminal legal system and anti-Blackness as a foundational component of the United States, cultural competence was operationalized as antiracism…
Qualitative findings revealed that CCL and cultural competence are often viewed by attorneys as intuitive or already mastered, yet training on these skills typically provokes emotional dysregulation and resistance… Recommendations are offered to improve antiracism work in and beyond public defense systems. Future research should validate the CCL measure with clients, expand sampling, and empirically test EFPT in diverse settings.
Johar, A. (2025). A systematic review of the trauma-informed services in women’s correctional facilities in the DMV area. (Doctoral Dissertation, The Chicago School). https://search.proquest.com/openview/81a5e4025cf40578fcbe65c816802824/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
This qualitative study examined the availability, implementation, and perceived effectiveness of trauma-informed care for incarcerated women across detention facilities and jails in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan areas. Drawing on publicly available data, interviews with facility clinicians, and interviews with clinicians from the public defender’s office, the research explored how trauma services are conceptualized, delivered, and received across seven regional jails. The study’s findings revealed significant variation in the presence and visibility of trauma-informed practices, with some jurisdictions demonstrating systemic commitment while others lacked structure, transparency, or gender-responsive care. Barriers such as staffing shortages, limited reentry support, disruption in programming due to COVID-19, and inconsistent screening processes were commonly reported. Public defenders highlighted discrepancies between official descriptions and client experiences, noting insufficient treatment, retraumatization, and inadequate post-release planning. Despite these challenges, the study identified promising practices and collaborative models that can inform future implementation of trauma-informed care. This dissertation aimed to lay the groundwork for policy recommendations and clinical implications, and the findings from the study underscored the critical need for comprehensive, trauma-sensitive, and gender-responsive care within correctional settings.
If you have suggestions, ideas for work that should be included, or trouble accessing any of the articles featured, please email Venita Embry at vembry.embry@gmail.com.
