Abstract
Objective: To assess the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and formal criminal justice system processing during young adulthood and middle adulthood. Methods: Data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 8531). Logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression, and Poisson regression models were used to assess the relationship between accumulating ACEs (0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more) and criminal justice system processing during young adulthood (24–32) and middle adulthood (33–43). Results: Accumulating ACEs —especially 4 or more ACEs— was significantly associated with various forms of criminal justice contact during young and middle adulthood, including having been arrested, experiencing a greater number of arrests, having been incarcerated in adulthood, having been incarcerated multiple times, and having spent longer periods of time incarcerated. Conclusions: This study documents that the association between ACEs and formal criminal justice extends into young and middle adulthood. Considering the consequences of both ACEs and criminal justice system contact for a variety of life domains, the findings suggest the need for developing and employing early interventions to disrupt pathways to criminal justice system involvement.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 972-980 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Academic pediatrics |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2022 |
Keywords
- adverse childhood experiences
- arrest
- criminal justice
- incarceration
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health