ABSTRACT
From 1982 until August 2011, the state of Texas executed 473 people, for many years at a pace of about one person every 2 weeks (Texas Departm ent of Criminal Justice, 2009). Currently, more than 300 await execution. Each of those sentenced to death and executed came from a family. Recent stud ies have docum ented the psychological distress experienced by the family m em bers of death row inmates (Adcock, 2010; Beck, Blackwell, Leonard, & Mears, 2003; Beck & Britto, 2006; Beck, Britto, & Andrews, 2007; Beck &
Jones, 2007; Byrd, 2000; Jones & Beck, 2006; King, 2003, 2006, 2007; Sharp, 2005; Vandiver, 1998; see also Radelet, Vandiver, & Berardo, 1983). These studies suggest that death sentences cause serious emotional and psy chological dam age in these families, identifying symptoms consistent with dysthymic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), com plex PTSD, complicated and disenfranchised grief, guilt, and shame (Beck et al., 2007; Jones 8c Beck, 2006; Sharp, 2005). Concern has even been raised about the intergenerational consequences of death sentencing (Beck & Jones, 2007). However, so far the literature contains no therapies designed to address death row families’ unique struggle with trauma.
