Commencement ETC PC

03/13/2026

Advocates argue that invasive searches compound pre-existing trauma, disproportionately affect women (especially Indigenous women), and reflect systemic practices that prioritize control over dignity. This topic connects with broader issues of how correctional systems treat women and how power and trauma intersect in carceral settings.

Human Rights Law Centre analysis finds more than 15,000 strip-searches are conducted on average each month, but just 0.58% result in contraband being found

03/12/2026

Men who beat their wives may face only 15 days in prison, while women can be jailed for visiting relatives without permission. This reflects how legal systems can cement gender inequities into law, undermining both justice and basic human rights. Women’s History Month invites us to confront not only progress made but the ongoing struggle for legal equality worldwide.

A new penal code issued by decree in Afghanistan sets harsher punishments for the mistreatment of animals than for domestic violence against women and solidifies into law inequality based on gender and social status

03/12/2026

During Women’s History Month, I’ve been thinking about how much of modern forensic psychology has been shaped by work on trauma, victim advocacy, and violence prevention.

This is an older reel, but it relates to that work in an important way.

03/11/2026

81 women previously freed from decades-long sentences are now at risk again, revealing how crisis powers and legal frameworks disproportionately harm women. This story illustrates how justice systems can penalize women for reproductive events that should be treated with care, not punishment.

Years of campaigning led to the release of 81 women imprisoned under the country’s strict reproductive laws, but the suspension of civil rights by President Nayib Bukele is fuelling a new wave of criminalisation

03/10/2026

During Women’s History Month, this legislative effort highlights an important shift toward trauma-informed justice — recognizing that many women (and men) in the legal system have histories of victimization that can affect their behavior and outcomes. Conversations like these ask us to consider how systems can balance accountability with context and healing, especially when gender-based abuse shapes trajectories of risk and harm.

Justice should not be blind to lived experience. Understanding context helps courts make fairer, more humane decisions.

The bill would reduce sentences for victims of domestic violence in cases where that experience was "a contributing factor" to the crime.

03/10/2026

Many people are surprised by how much context, ethics, and bias matter in this work.
There’s a strong pull toward quick labels, but real forensic psychology is slower, more careful, and grounded in evidence.

03/09/2026

This Women’s History Month, it’s worth reflecting on how justice and prevention systems intersect. A forensic psychology lens reminds us that domestic violence is not only a criminal issue but a public health issue — one rooted in power, trauma, and context. Strengthening victim-centered responses and community support systems can help reduce harm and save lives.

Every life has a story; systems should help, not compound, harm.

PHILADELPHIA — Amid a historic drop in violent crime, homicides have fallen to lows not seen in decades. But in what researchers say is an alarming trend, homicides related to

03/08/2026

Women’s History Month is a reminder that measurable progress coexists with ongoing inequities. From pay gaps to leadership representation, structural barriers remain. As a forensic psychologist, Dr. Hudgins sees how economic stress, social marginalization, and limited power can intersect with legal system outcomes — particularly for women whose voices are already minimized.

Georgia ranks 34 out of 50. Should Dr. Hudgins relocate?

Equity isn’t just about access — it’s about justice and safety too.

A new WalletHub report examines how women are faring across the United States in 2026, highlighting ongoing gaps in pay, political representation and opportunity.

03/07/2026

Human behavior cannot be understood without considering culture, trauma, and lived experience.

Dr. Thema Bryant, former president of the American Psychological Association, has written extensively about trauma, violence, and the impact of social context on mental health.

Her work highlights how psychological experiences are shaped not only by individual factors, but also by community, history, and environment.

These ideas are highly relevant to forensic psychology, where evaluations often occur in the context of trauma, inequality, and systemic stressors.

Understanding behavior requires more than diagnosis.
It requires context.

03/06/2026

Violent behavior is often discussed in simple terms.
Research suggests the reality is more complex.

Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis studied individuals on death row and found high rates of severe childhood abuse, neurological injury, and trauma histories.

Her work challenged the idea that criminal behavior can always be understood without considering developmental and psychological factors.

In forensic psychology, understanding risk, responsibility, and behavior often requires looking at a person’s history, not only the offense.

Recognizing complexity does not excuse harm.
It helps us understand it more accurately.

03/05/2026

Reposting my first reel during Women’s History Month.

As a woman working in forensic psychology, I’m especially aware of how much this field has been shaped by women whose work is often overlooked.

This month I’m highlighting some of those contributions while also sharing more about what this field actually looks like in practice.

03/05/2026

Memory feels reliable.
Research shows it can be surprisingly fragile.

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is one of the most influential researchers in the study of memory and eyewitness testimony.

Her work demonstrated how suggestion, stress, and time can alter what a person remembers — findings that have had major implications for criminal investigations and wrongful convictions.

In forensic psychology, understanding the limits of memory is essential when evaluating statements, testimony, and confessions.

Science does not exist to undermine the legal system.
It exists to make it more accurate.