Fielding graduate Zieva Konvisser publishes article in the DePaul Journal for Social Justice

Psychological Consequences of Wrongful Conviction in Women and the Possibility of Positive Change, Zieva Konvisser

This paper presents: (1) an analysis of female wrongful convictions; (2) an overview of the existing literature on the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction and the unique qualities and needs faced by women; (3) evidence from research and real life experiences about potential responses to trauma, ranging from posttraumatic stress to resilience and posttraumatic growth, how these may coexist and how growth may be enabled; (4) meaningful strategies proposed in the literature and creative and resourceful strategies that have helped other survivors cope with and even grow from an untenable reality; and (5) the need for compassionate and holistic support to the exonerated.

Valuable insights and empirical evidence are provided for the innocent women themselves; for clinicians, counselors, families, friends, employers and communities working to help innocent women during their arrest, trial, conviction, imprisonment, release and post-release; and for lawyers, policy-makers and advocates working to promote social justice and criminal justice reform.

Konvisser, Z. D. (Spring 2012). Psychological consequences of wrongful conviction in women and the possibility of positive change. DePaul Journal for Social Justice, 5(2), 221-94.