(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/26/2024) Adult crime victims in 54-A District Court Judge Cynthia Ward’s courtroom will be able to use a weighted blanket while testifying beginning in the new year. 

The blankets have been found to be effective in decreasing stress and anxiety, as it puts a person’s “autonomic nervous system into ‘rest’ mode, reducing some of the symptoms of anxiety,” according to PennMedicine.org. 

“I have seen first hand how crime victim trauma and anxiety can impact a case,” Ward said today. “It becomes an access to justice issue if crime victims cannot have their voices heard while testifying.  

“It’s an additional therapeutic tool for victims and hopefully a way to make my courtroom more accessible to crime victims when they take the stand to testify,” the judge added. 

Ward presides over a misdemeanor-dedicated docket for intimate partner domestic violence cases and a Domestic Violence (Accountability) Court.  

The judge also hears testimony from felony crime victims. 

Trauma-informed courts is not a new concept, as some Michigan courts use therapy dogs to help trauma victims – both adults and children – testify in court. 

The Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office has a canine court advocate, and victim advocate agencies have provided victims with hand-held stress balls to provide an outlet for stress and nervous energy.  

Other states have had similar initiatives. 

In Pennsylvania, the Allegheny County Courthouse opened what it calls a “trauma-informed” courthouse that includes space designed to provide a comfortable and supportive environment for victims who have experienced trauma.  

Allegheny County services include an on-site wellness clinic with a playground and sensory room, according to media reports.