Inequities in Life Course Criminal Legal System Sanctions: Measuring Cumulative Involvement

Citation

LeMasters, Katherine; Renson, Audrey; Edwards, Jesse K.; Robinson, Whitney R.; Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren; Delamater, Paul L.; & Pence, Brian W. (2022). Inequities in Life Course Criminal Legal System Sanctions: Measuring Cumulative Involvement. Annals of Epidemiology, 76, 83-90. PMCID: PMC10075343

Abstract

PURPOSE: The impact of incarceration on health is well known. Yet, most studies measure incarceration alone and miss additional exposure to the criminal legal system over time. We evaluated adult criminal legal sanctions - inclusive of arrests, charges, probation, incarceration - from ages 18-35 and inequities by juvenile sanctions and race.
METHODS: Using the National Longitudinal Survey on Youth 1997, a nationally representative data set of adolescents followed into their mid-thirties (1997-2017), we calculated the mean cumulative count, or the average number of criminal legal events per person per study visit, stratified by juvenile sanctions and race.
RESULTS: Of 7024 participants, 1679 experienced 3,075 encounters. There were seven arrests, 30 charges, nine probation encounters, and 13 incarceration events and 100 participants by age 35. Juvenile sanctions were most common for Black individuals. Among those experiencing juvenile sanctions, Black and White individuals had similar numbers of encounters, but Black individuals had more arrests and incarceration stays. For those without juvenile encounters, Black individuals had more encounters than White individuals.
CONCLUSIONS: Research on health effects of criminal legal sanctions must consider encounters beyond incarceration and focus on life course trajectories and racial inequities.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.10.007

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2022

Journal Title

Annals of Epidemiology

Author(s)

LeMasters, Katherine
Renson, Audrey
Edwards, Jesse K.
Robinson, Whitney R.
Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren
Delamater, Paul L.
Pence, Brian W.

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10075343

Data Set/Study

National Longitudinal Studys (NLS)

Continent/Country

United States of America

State

Nonspecific

Race/Ethnicity

White
Hispanic
Black

ORCiD

LeMasters - 0000-0002-1754-1730
Delamater - 0000-0003-3627-9739