Before Their Crimes: What We're Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing

Juvenile crime doesn’t just happen—there is always a story behind it.

This book brings together scientific research, case histories, and Dr. Smith’s own insights and experiences, offering a new perspective on the pain-driven sources of juvenile crime.

Before Their Crimes: Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Surprising Journey to Adult Healing is a groundbreaking book that sheds new light on the relationship of childhood trauma and juvenile crime. Wendy Smith uses the framework of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to explain how the toxic stress of early childhood trauma can make children vulnerable to committing criminal acts. Smith draws from interviews with twenty men and women from across the racial and social divide who spent years in prison after committing serious crimes as children. Smith not only reveals the pernicious mechanisms that link early trauma to later crime, but also illuminates the potential for healing among even the most egregious offenders.