Child Maltreatment and Offending Behavior: Gender-Specific Effects and Pathways

What are the Experiences of and Interventions for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in South Asia? A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may experience emotional, social, and psychological difficulties, heightened due to the interpersonal nature of harm. Despite the demonstrated effectiveness of trauma-focused treatments in the West, a culturally specific understanding of the needs of and treatments for survivors in South Asia is still in its infancy. The study aimed to systematically review research findings on the mental health impacts of CSA on adult survivors and current treatment approaches and their efficacy and acceptability in South Asia. Seven databases (Scopus, Ovid, CINAHL, ProQuest, EThOS, Google Scholar, and Dogpile) and five peer-reviewed South Asian journals were searched from inception until March 30, 2023. Searches included participants who were adult survivors of CSA of South Asian origin residing in South Asia. Studies on their mental health, different treatments, and the efficacy and acceptability of these treatments were included. Quality assessment tools were used to appraise the quality of included studies. The results were synthesized narratively. A total of 3,362 records were retrieved, and 24 articles were included in the final review. Twenty studies reported mental health impacts of CSA on adult survivors, four studies reported current treatments offered, and two studies were on recovery. However, no study focused on the efficacy or acceptability of the treatments being delivered. Even though the needs of adult CSA survivors in South Asia have been partly identified, there is very little research into the treatments for them.

Sex-specific joint trajectories of deviant peer affiliation and externalizing problems from middle childhood to early adolescence: the predictive role of family maltreatment

Previous research has shown a strong link between deviant peer affiliation (DPA) and externalizing problems (EXT) among children and adolescents. Little is known about how DPA and EXT develop jointly over time or possible sex differences in their development. This longitudinal study identified sex-specific joint trajectories of DPA and EXT from middle childhood to early adolescence and investigated the predictive role of family maltreatment experiences in joint trajectories of DPA and EXT. A total of 3622 Chinese elementary school students in grades 3 and 4 (Mage = 10, SD = 0.53; 46.5% girls) comprised the sample. Assessments were conducted every six months on five occasions across 2.5 years. Parallel process latent class growth modeling (PP-LCGM) was used to explore the joint trajectories of DPA and EXT for boys and girls separately. The PP-LCGM identified four trajectories for boys: "congruent-low" (78.2%), "congruent-high" (12.40%), "deviant peer affiliation increasing" (6.5%), and "congruent late increasing" (2.9%). Four trajectories were identified for girls: "congruent-low" (82.5%), "slowly increasing" (10.2%), and "deviant peer affiliation desisting" (5.6%), and "congruent late increasing" (1.7%). After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), the results showed that compared to the congruent-low group, more severe family maltreatment predicted the high and high-start trajectories for boys. The findings highlighted the joint development of DPA and EXT and the sex differences associated with their development. Findings also shed light on the importance of sex in developmental responses to family maltreatment.

Childhood maltreatment, shame, and self-esteem: an exploratory analysis of influencing factors on criminal behavior in juvenile female offenders

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between childhood maltreatment, shame, and self-esteem among juvenile female offenders and to explore the potential influencing factors on their criminal behavior.

METHODS

Using a stratified cluster sampling method, 1,227 juvenile female offenders from 11 provinces in China were surveyed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and a self-developed Shame Questionnaire for Juvenile Offenders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, chi-square tests, t-tests, and structural equation modeling with mediation analysis.

RESULTS

(1) Childhood maltreatment have a significant potential influencing factors on criminal behavior; (2) Childhood maltreatment was positively correlated with self-esteem(β = 0.351, p < 0.001); (3) shame (β = 0.042, p < 0.001) mediate the relationship between Childhood maltreatment and self-esteem (childhood maltreatment → shame → self-esteem (95% Cl: 0.033, 0.052)).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that childhood maltreatment is a significant predictor of criminal behavior among juvenile female offenders. childhood maltreatment can directly influence of self-esteem, which can also affect juvenile female offenders'self-esteem indirectly through shame. The findings suggest that shame are important variables that mediate the effect of the juvenile female offenders'childhood maltreatment on their self-esteem.

Applying Item Response Theory Analysis to the SAVRY in Justice-Involved Youth

This study investigated item- and test-level functioning of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and differential item functioning (DIF) across gender and race/ethnicity in justice-involved youth (JIY) using item response theory analysis. Participants were 868 JIY (23.7% female; 26.9% White, 50.9% Black, and 22.2% Hispanic) in pre-trial detention centers in Connecticut. Results obtained from the application of the graded response model showed that the SAVRY items were not equally discriminating JIY with varying levels of the latent trait, with "Poor compliance" as the most discriminating item and "History of self-harm or suicide attempts" as the least discriminating item. At the test level, the SAVRY provided precise (reliable) information about the latent trait for the majority of JIY whose latent trait between two standard deviations below and above the mean. Results of DIF revealed that six items operated inconsistently between White, Black, and Hispanic JIY, among which two items also functioned differentially across gender.

Interactions Between Child-Rearing and Other Risk Factors in Predicting Delinquency, and Implications for Prevention

This article aims to identify interactions between harsh discipline and poor supervision and other childhood risk factors (all measured at age 8-10) in predicting delinquency. It analyzes data collected in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development (CSDD), which is a prospective longitudinal study of 411 London males first assessed at age 8. Of these males, 26% were convicted between ages 10 and 17. Harsh discipline and poor supervision significantly predicted delinquency, as did 16 other childhood risk factors. Generally, harsh discipline predicted delinquency more strongly in the presence of other risk factors, whereas poor supervision predicted delinquency more strongly in the absence of other risk factors. It is suggested that parent training programs targeting harsh discipline should focus particularly on children and families who possess other risk factors, whereas parent training programs targeting poor supervision should focus particularly on children and families who do not possess other risk factors.

Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma Among Young People Who Offend: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic review synthesized current knowledge about the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among young people known to have offended and examined evidence of associations between ACEs, trauma symptoms, and offending behavior. A systematic search of English-language, peer-reviewed studies published from the year 2000 onwards was conducted. A final pool of 124 studies that reported quantitative data were included in the review. The Cambridge Quality Checklist for the assessment of studies on offending was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. Pooled data indicated that almost 87% of justice-involved young people across 13 countries experienced at least one traumatic event. The odds of experiencing at least one ACE were over 12 times greater for justice-involved young people compared with nonjustice-involved young people. Prevalence of individual ACEs ranged from 12.2% for childhood sexual abuse to 80.4% for parental separation among justice-involved young people. Those who reported both a higher number and multiple types of ACEs were more likely to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress symptoms. However, when considering only high-quality studies, there was minimal evidence to suggest that a higher incidence of ACEs predicted trauma symptoms or that trauma symptoms mediated the association between ACEs and offending behavior. Further research is needed to elucidate factors that differentiate young people exposed to ACEs who go on to offend from those who do not. This research is essential to understanding whether ACEs and trauma are drivers of offending behavior and for informing prevention and intervention strategies.

“Hurt people hurt other people”: The link between past trauma and sexual offending

Background

A growing body of research documents the high rates of trauma among individuals who have sexually offended. Yet the relationship between prior victimization and subsequent sexual offending remained unclear. Objective: By including the voices and perspectives of individuals convicted of sexual offenses, we sought to strengthen professionals’ understanding of the connection between victimization and offending.

Method

This qualitative study used an online survey to collect data from individuals convicted of sexual offenses (n = 195) with the aims of understanding their perceptions of the link between trauma and offending and what they would like sex-offense treatment providers to know about this connection.

Results

Using grounded theory, five major themes emerged from the data analysis: Relationship between Trauma Offending (n = 91), Acknowledging the Connection (n = 57), Specific Effects of Trauma (n = 48), Individualized Treatment (n = 34), and Recognition of Humanity (n = 26).

Conclusions

The participants perceived a strong connection between one’s own victimization and subsequent sexual offending. In addition, they offered specific recommendations for treatment providers, including individualizing treatment with an emphasis on humanity and compassion. Implications for trauma-informed practice and policy are discussed.

The Centrality of Child Maltreatment to Criminology

Despite sufficient evidence to conclude that maltreatment exposure affects the risk of crime and delinquency, we conclude that the unique effects of child maltreatment on crime and delinquency, and the mechanisms through which those effects operate, remain poorly identified. Key challenges include insufficient attention to the overlap of child maltreatment with various forms of family dysfunction and adversity and a lack of comprehensive measurement of the multiple, often comorbid, forms of child maltreatment. We then consider potential impacts of the child welfare system on the maltreatment-crime link. Because the child welfare system typically provides voluntary, short-term services of unknown quality, it likely neither increases nor reduces risks of delinquency and crime for most children who encounter it. For the comparatively small subset of children experiencing foster care, impacts on delinquency and crime likely vary by the quality of environments within and after their time in care - issues that, to date, have received too little attention.

Opportunities for prevention: a data-linkage study to inform a public health response to youth offending in the Northern Territory, Australia

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have demonstrated a strong link between child maltreatment and subsequent youth offending, leading to calls for early intervention initiatives. However, there have been few whole-population studies into the dimensions of statutory child maltreatment responses that can inform these programs. The aim of this study was to investigate the sex-specific association between level and timing of child protection system (CPS) contact and youth offending.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study used linked individual-level records from multiple agencies, for 10,438Aboriginal children born in the Northern Territory between 1999 and 2006. The outcome measure was the first alleged offence. Key explanatory variables were level (no contact through to out-of-home care) and timing (0-4 years, 5-9 years, or both) of CPS contact. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate cumulative incidence and a flexible parametric survival model to estimate hazard ratios (HR).

RESULTS

Children with no record of CPS contact before age 10 had the lowest cumulative incidence of first alleged offence by age 18 (boys: 23.4% [95%CI:21.0-26.1]; girls: 6.6% [95%CI:5.3-8.2]) and those with a record of out-of-home care the highest CI (boys: 45.5% [95%CI:37.0-54.9]; girls: 18.6% [95%CI:13.0-26.2]). The association of CPS contact with the relative risk of a first alleged offence was greatest for children aged 10-13 years and decreased with age. Timing of CPS contact was also associated with increasing cumulative incidence. The relative risk for first alleged offence was generally higher for children with CPS contact, of any type, during both developmental phases including notifications during both phases (boys, HR at age 11: 8.9 [95%CI:4.2-17.2]; girls, HR at age 11: 13.7 [95%CI:3.8-48.9]) and substantiations during both phases (boys, HR at age 11: 17.0 [95%CI:9.6-30.0]; girls, HR at age 11: 54.1 [95%CI:18.1-162]).

CONCLUSION

The increased risk of offending associated with level and timing of early CPS contact highlights opportunities for a differentiated public health response to improve life trajectories for children and to reduce youth crime. Although children with unsubstantiated notifications of maltreatment do not meet the criteria for a statutory CPS response, the higher risk of offending among these children supports their inclusion in targeted preventive interventions.

The Influence of Harsh Parenting and Parental Warmth During Childhood on Later Involvement in Prison Misconduct

Research has shown that childhood victimization is associated with later involvement in delinquency. Prevalence rates of childhood victimization also tend to be higher among prison inmates compared with the general population. However, it has rarely been examined if childhood experiences-both negative and positive-have an effect on prison misconduct. We analyzed self-report data from more than 4,800 male and female adult prisoners in Germany to examine if childhood experiences of harsh parenting and parental warmth are associated with physical inmate-on-inmate violence. We also assessed the inmates' attitude toward violence and examined if violence approval mediates the relationship between childhood experiences and violent misconduct. The results of the structural equation models show that both harsh parenting and positive, caring parental behavior have a small, but significant effect on violent prison misconduct, which is completely mediated by the inmates' attitude toward violence. Furthermore, the results suggest that the same model holds for both male and female inmates, indicating that childhood victimization is not a gender-responsive need. The strength of the direct association between violence approval and violent misconduct underscores the need to assess the inmates' attitude toward violence to identify those most at risk of engaging in violence during incarceration.

Child Maltreatment, School Bonds, and Adult Violence: A Serial Mediation Model

Physically abused youth are vulnerable to experiencing difficulties across multiple domains of school functioning. Most of the literature examining the relationship between child physical abuse (CPA) and adult violence has focused narrowly on academic outcomes rather than taking a broader view that explores the processes undergirding school engagement and connections. The present study adopted Connell's model of school engagement, connectedness and outcomes within a social bond framework to examine (a) the link between CPA and school social bonds, (b) the link between CPA and adult violence persistence, and (c) the mediational (parallel, serial) effects of school bonds (engagement, connection, and achievement) on violence perpetration in adulthood. Consistent with previous research, results indicated that children who experience physical abuse have poorer academic performance, which, in turn, is related to future violent trajectories. We further found that the relationship between CPA and violence persistence is mediated by a process of bonding to school that begins with being actively engaged in school activities and ends with higher levels of academic achievement. In particular, some of the "school achievement" effect found in previous research operates through behavioral and emotional manifestations and may be partly explained through physically abused children's lessened ability to be engaged with and connected to school activities. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications stemming from our findings.

Life on "the List" is a Life Lived in Fear: Post-Conviction Traumatic Stress in Men Convicted of Sexual Offenses

In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of increasingly restrictive laws managing the post release behavior and movement of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. In the US, this legislation has led to many barriers for people returning to their community as "registered sex offenders." We consider the often ignored but undeniable traumagenic impact of life on "the list" and conceptualize this experience as Post-Conviction Traumatic Stress. We present a qualitative content analysis of secondary data collected from interviews with over 70 men. Emergent themes were first organized according to the human needs identified in Maslow's hierarchy, and then by the established symptoms of PTSD, and finally in terms of resilient coping versus traumatic coping when basic human needs were unmet. We discuss the unexplored impact of traumatic instability on risk for recidivism and present recommendations for trauma-informed policies and practices with individuals required to register as "sex offenders."

The transmission of violence and trauma across development and environmental contexts: Intimate partner violence from the perspective of men with histories of perpetration

BACKGROUND

Research has established a relation between ecological contexts and intimate partner violence (IPV), but little is known about how environmental factors affect childhood development over time and culminate in IPV perpetration from the perspective of men who perpetrated IPV.

METHODS

Using grounded theory, this study employed focus groups with 32 predominately low-income, African American men in batterer intervention programs to explore factors and processes through which families, neighborhoods, and policy influence men's development, contributing to their use of IPV. Using an inductive approach, the researchers cycled between data collection and analysis resulting in a parsimonious conceptual model validated by participants.

RESULTS

Three core categories emerged from focused and axial coding: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma, structural forces, and systemic forces. Theoretical coding illuminated how these core categories relate to each other, producing a collective narrative illustrating how environmental contexts contributed to men's development. Study participants described childhood exposure to adversity and trauma within the home that diminished essential foundations of trust and safety. Positive (e.g., Old Heads, matriarchs) and negative (e.g., gangs, community violence) structural neighborhood forces influenced the social learning of violence and exposed participants to re-traumatization outside the home during their adolescence. Finally, key macro forces such as mass incarceration exacerbated violence and trauma exposure through the proliferation of high-risk neighborhoods, predisposing men toward IPV as young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings reinforce the notion that environmental stress not buffered by protective adults profoundly affects development and behavior. From the perspective of male perpetrators, our results help identify those stressors and how they might contribute to male-to-female IPV.

Effects of academic performance on the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior: A national study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment has been found to significantly increase the risk of deviant behavior. Academic performance has been shown to have an indirect effect on the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior. However, not all adolescents who have been maltreated engage in deviant behavior, so the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior has remained unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this research was to examine the potential mediating and/or moderating effects of academic performance on the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The data in this study were from a nationwide study examining the consequences of childhood maltreatment in Taiwan. The database consisted of data from 2321 adolescents.

METHODS

A secondary data analysis was conducted. Self-report data were obtained on childhood maltreatment experiences, academic performance, and deviant behaviors. Path analyses and a generalized linear model were used to examine the effects of academic performance on the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior.

RESULTS

Most participants were male (61.4%), with a mean age of 15.9 years. The mean scores of self-rated academic performance and deviant behavior were 2.86 and 8.2, respectively. A total of 83% participants reported having experienced childhood maltreatment. In this study, academic performance was found to have a moderating rather than a mediating effect on the relationship between child maltreatment and deviant behavior. Among adolescents who had been maltreated during childhood, those who self-rated poorer academic performance were more likely to have a higher deviant behavior score than those who self-rated better academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Good academic performance can be a buffer that reduces the risk of deviant behavior among individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment. Healthcare professionals and educators can tailor early prevention and intervention educational programs targeted toward adolescents with experience of childhood abuse or poor academic performance to prevent the incidence of deviant behavior and thus break the cycle of violence.

Hearing and justice: The link between hearing impairment in early childhood and youth offending in Aboriginal children living in remote communities of the Northern Territory, Australia

BACKGROUND

High prevalence of chronic middle ear disease has persisted in Australian Aboriginal children, and the related hearing impairment (HI) has been implicated in a range of social outcomes. This study investigated the association between HI in early childhood and youth offending.

METHOD

This was a retrospective cohort study of 1533 Aboriginal children (born between 1996 and 2001) living in remote Northern Territory communities. The study used linked individual-level information from health, education, child protection and youth justice services. The outcome variable was a youth being "found guilty of an offence". The key explanatory variable, hearing impairment, was based on audiometric assessment. Other variables were: child maltreatment notifications, Year 7 school enrolment by mother, Year 7 school attendance and community 'fixed- effects'. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the association between HI and youth offending; and the Royston R2 measure to estimate the separate contributions of risk factors to youth offending.

RESULTS

The proportion of hearing loss was high in children with records of offence (boys: 55.6%, girls: 36.7%) and those without (boys: 46.1%; girls: 49.0%). In univariate analysis, a higher risk of offending was found among boys with moderate or worse HI (HR: 1.77 [95% CI: 1.05-2.98]) and mild HI (HR: 1.54 [95% CI:1.06-2.23]). This association was attenuated in multivariable analysis (moderate HI, HR: 1.43 [95% CI:0.78-2.62]; mild HI, HR: 1.37 [95% CI: 0.83-2.26]). No evidence for an association was found in girls. HI contributed 3.2% and 6.5% of variation in offending among boys and girls respectively. Factors contributing greater variance included: community 'fixed-effects' (boys: 14.6%, girls: 36.5%), child maltreatment notification (boys: 14.2%, girls: 23.9%) and year 7 school attendance (boys: 7.9%; girls 12.1%). Enrolment by mother explained substantial variation for girls (25.4%) but not boys (0.2%).

CONCLUSION

There was evidence, in univariate analysis, for an association between HI and youth offending for boys however this association was not evident after controlling for other factors. Our findings highlight a range of risk factors that underpin the pathway to youth-offending, demonstrating the urgent need for interagency collaboration to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children in the Northern Territory.

Correlates of childhood trauma in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder spectrum: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVE

Histories of childhood trauma (CT) are risk factors for affect dysregulation and poor clinical outcomes in women with bipolar disorder (BD). While much is known about the link between BD and CT in adult patients, there is limited data on this research topic in pediatric BD (PBD). The present study aims to investigate the impact of CT on irritability, aggressive and suicidal behaviors in PBD patients across gender types.

METHODS

From 2013 to 2015, 59 PBD patients Aged 6-17 (30 female) were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) along with scales assessing irritability (Affective Reactivity Index), aggression (Modified Overt Aggression Scale) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale). We examined the severity of these behaviors across types of CT and gender using univariate regression analyses. Findings were adjusted for age, number of traumas, and CTQ denial score.

RESULTS

In PBD patients, analyses showed that the effect of physical abuse depended on gender, whereby females were more likely than males to engage in suicidal thoughts and behaviors (p < 0.05). Male gender and CT were strong determinants of irritability (p < 0.05). Violence against property and people was found to be reduced in females, and increased in males with a history of emotional and sexual abuse, respectively (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These preliminary findings highlight the significant impact of CT in PBD and suggest that gender may predict the risk for dysfunctional behaviors in PBD patients with CT. Future large scale, longitudinal, investigations focusing on fear processing and extinction may provide a deeper understanding of these gender differences, and their role in the course of BD.

Young People Under Youth Justice Supervision With Varying Child Protection Histories: An Analysis of Group Differences

There is now convincing evidence that childhood maltreatment is associated with youth offending; however, relatively little is known about the characteristics and needs of those who are involved in both the child protection and youth justice systems, and the extent to which these might differ according to level of child protection involvement. This study reports the characteristics and needs of 2,045 young people who were under supervision in secure custody or detention in South Australia between 1995 and 2012 according to the level of exposure to the child protection system in an Australian jurisdiction. Five groups of young offenders were compared: (a) no known child protection notifications or substantiated experience of abuse and/or neglect, (b) notifications only, (c) substantiated notifications, (d) notifications or substantiations and subsequent placement in out-of-home care (OHC), and (e) placement in OHC only. The results indicate that young people who have a history of child protection system involvement have significantly greater and more complex needs than those who have no child protection experience. It is concluded that different service responses may be required to meet the diverse needs of these groups of young people under youth justice supervision.

A prospective, longitudinal cohort study: The impact of child maltreatment on delinquency among South Korean youth in middle and high school

BACKGROUND

Cultural groups vary in how they understand child maltreatment and children's misbehavior and these cultural variations may impact the relationship between maltreatment and delinquency.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the impact of maltreatment on delinquency among South Korean youth.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Using Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey data, this study followed two cohorts of middle (n = 2,275) and high (n = 2,272) school youth for their first self-reported delinquency over 4 years.

METHOD

Discrete-time hazard model was used for the analyses.

RESULTS

Approximately 19% of middle and 11% of high school youth engaged in delinquency for 4 years. Maltreatment is associated with delinquency only for high school youth (HR = 1.42). In both cohorts, male youth with high levels of aggression were more likely to engage in delinquency. Additional risk factors included high levels of depression (HR = 1.36) and negative attitudes toward school rules (HR = 0.68), father's education less than high school (HR = 0.63), low levels of self-control (HR = 0.63). Findings also identified culturally unique factors that place Korean youth at heightened risk of delinquency: mother's education more than high school (HR = 1.49) and higher family income (HR = 1.93).

CONCLUSION

Preventive interventions need to identify culturally specific risk factors for youth at increased risk of delinquency and thus these preventive interventions should be culturally tailored.

Educational attainment for youth who were maltreated in adolescence: Investigating the influence of maltreatment type and foster care placement

Decades of research have consistently shown a link between foster care and low rates of high school completion. Despite the overwhelming knowledge surrounding this association, it remains unclear whether the low rates of high school completion are due to placement in foster care or the maltreatment and other contextual factors that foster care youth have experienced. This study examined the extent to which (a) maltreatment type and (b) foster care placement were associated with the educational attainment of 337 maltreated adolescents. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using two waves of data and the ACR dataset of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). After controlling for academic risk factors related to the adolescents (age, race, and gender), their family (household poverty and parental education), and their environment (community environment), neither maltreatment type nor foster care placement status were associated with subsequent high school completion. Overall, only 58% of the maltreated adolescents reported completing their education. That is about 15% less than the national average at the time data were collected for this study. Results, overall, suggest a need for educational supports and interventions for youth who experience maltreatment during their adolescent years, regardless of maltreatment type and foster care placement.

Drug Use as a Risk Factor of Moral Disengagement: A Study on Drug Traffickers and Offenders against Other Persons

This study investigates the moral-disengagement strategies and influence of drug use in adolescence on 49 offenders in Italian jails, 30 of which are drug traffickers and 19 of which are offenders against other persons. A semi-structured interview was conducted to collect data on family, social and medical histories and the manner in which the deviant act was carried out, and the Moral Disengagement Scale was used to identify specific moral disengagement mechanisms. The results show that the traffickers reported higher levels of general moral disengagement, dehumanization of victims, and advantageous comparison with respect to offenders against other persons. However, the offenders who used drugs in adolescence reported higher levels of advantageous comparison with respect to offenders who did not use drugs. Studying self-regulatory mechanisms is important for enriching the literature about risk factors connected with moral disengagement and deviant behaviour committed by offenders in order to implement the promotion of effective and targeted treatment and educational strategies.

The Maltreatment-Offending Association: A Systematic Review of the Methodological Features of Prospective and Longitudinal Studies

Although the association between childhood maltreatment and the subsequent development of offending behavior is well documented, the association does not necessarily reflect a causal relationship. This paper provides a systematic review of prospective and longitudinal studies using official records of maltreatment to gain insights into the extent to which methodological variations are likely to influence the conclusions drawn about the likely relationship between maltreatment and offending. Sixty-two original studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies were assessed according to a set of seven methodological criteria: (1) inclusion of comparison groups, (2) the use of statistical controls, (3) valid outcome measures, (4) operationalization of maltreatment, (5) proper temporal order of associations, (6) data relating to unsubstantiated maltreatment, and (7) consideration of mediating and moderating factors. The strength of evidence in support of the maltreatment-offending association was influenced by a number of methodological factors. Despite the increasing sophistication of studies, there is a need to be mindful of how these factors are taken into account in future research in order to gain a deeper understanding of the adverse consequences of maltreatment and how this might influence outcomes and inform interventions.

An examination of sex differences on neurocognitive functioning and behavior problems in maltreated youth

OBJECTIVE

In the developmental traumatology model, the biological construct of sex is considered a moderator that may negatively influence child maltreatment sequelae including those pertaining to neurocognitive function.

METHOD

This study examined sex-differences in neurocognitive function and behavior problems in maltreated boys (n = 42), maltreated girls (n = 56) versus nonmaltreated boys (n = 45) and girls (n = 59). Maltreated boys were hypothesized to have poorer neurocognitive functioning than maltreated girls, and nonmaltreated boys and girls, in all neurocognitive domains, particularly pertaining to executive function and attention. We also examined correlations between cognitive function and parent report of child behavior problems for maltreated and nonmaltreated children.

RESULTS

Maltreated boys performed more poorly on measures of intelligence, attention, language, memory, executive function, and academic achievement in both reading and math than nonmaltreated boys. Maltreated boys did not perform more poorly on these cognitive measures or behavioral measures than maltreated girls, except for one memory measure. Maltreated girls performed more poorly on measures of intelligence, language, memory, executive function, and academic achievement than nonmaltreated girls. Maltreated girls with better visual-spatial skills had more internalizing and externalizing problems. Effect sizes for these sex differences ranged from small to large.

CONCLUSIONS

Both maltreated boys and girls showed poorer cognitive function than their nonmaltreated sex-matched controls. Maltreated girls had subtle sparing of attention and short-term memory (STM). Understanding sex differences in neurocognitive functioning may have implications for designing large population studies of maltreated youth. (PsycINFO Database Record

Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Emerging Adulthood in a Low-Income Urban Cohort

This study examined predictors of depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood in a sample of 1,142 individuals (94% African American) who grew up in urban poverty. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study that followed participants from age five and included participant, parent, and teacher surveys, and administrative records. Depressive symptoms were self-reported at age 22-24 using a modified version of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1975). Binary logistic regression analyses identified several significant predictors of depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood, including: sex, adverse childhood experiences (ACE) score, socio-emotional adjustment in the classroom, juvenile arrest, and on-time graduation. Significant sex differences were also detected, with the final models fitting the male sample better than the full study or female samples. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice

Social workers frequently encounter clients with a history of trauma. Trauma-informed care is a way of providing services by which social workers recognize the prevalence of early adversity in the lives of clients, view presenting problems as symptoms of maladaptive coping, and understand how early trauma shapes a client's fundamental beliefs about the world and affects his or her psychosocial functioning across the life span. Trauma-informed social work incorporates core principles of safety, trust, collaboration, choice, and empowerment and delivers services in a manner that avoids inadvertently repeating unhealthy interpersonal dynamics in the helping relationship. Trauma-informed social work can be integrated into all sorts of existing models of evidence-based services across populations and agency settings, can strengthen the therapeutic alliance, and facilitates posttraumatic growth.

Transitions and turning points revisited: A replication to explore child maltreatment and youth offending links within and across Australian cohorts

In this study we examined the consistency of life-course child maltreatment trajectories and youth offending links across birth cohorts. In so doing we demonstrated the value of replication studies for maltreatment research. We applied the methodology of Stewart et al. (2008) and linked population-based (1990 birth cohort) child protection and youth justice administrative data from Queensland, Australia. We performed a group based trajectory analysis to identify distinct maltreatment trajectory groups distinguishable by maltreatment timing and frequency across the life-course. We explored group-based youth offending outcomes with consideration of variations in maltreatment chronicity, timing, and frequency, multi-type maltreatment, gender and race (Indigenous Australian versus non-Indigenous Australian youths). To determine the consistency of maltreatment trajectories and offending links across cohorts (1983/84 versus 1990) we compared our results with those of Stewart et al. (2008). Consistent with Stewart et al. (2008): (1) We identified six distinct maltreatment trajectory groups; (2) Trajectory groups characterised by chronic maltreatment and/or adolescent maltreatment had the largest proportion of young offenders; and (3) Maltreatment frequency commonly peaked at transition points. Extending beyond Stewart et al. (2008) we noted considerable overlap between maltreatment dimensions and a potential impact of race and multi-type maltreatment on maltreatment and offending links. We endorse replication studies as a valuable tool to advance child maltreatment policy and practice and recommend further research on interactions between maltreatment dimensions, gender, race, and youth offending.

Maltreatment, family environment, and social risk factors: Determinants of the child welfare to juvenile justice transition among maltreated children and adolescents

This study prospectively examines the transition from the child welfare system into the juvenile justice system among 10,850 maltreated children and adolescents and explores how patterns of risks, including severity and chronicity of maltreatment, adverse family environment, and social risk factors, affect service systems transition. Almost three percent of maltreated children and adolescents had their first juvenile justice adjudication within an average of approximately six years of their initial child protective services investigation (CPS). Social risk factors, including a child's age at index CPS investigation (older), gender (boys), and race/ethnicity (Black and Hispanic) significantly predicted the risk of transition into the juvenile justice system. Recurrence of maltreatment and experiencing at least one incident of neglect over the course of the study period also increased the risk of transition into the juvenile justice system. However, subtypes of maltreatment, including physical, sexual, and other types of abuse did not significantly predict the risk of juvenile justice system transition. Finally, family environment characterized by poverty also significantly increased the risk of juvenile justice system transition. These findings have important implications for developing and tailoring services for maltreated children, particularly those at-risk for transitioning into the juvenile justice system.

Young Offenders, Maltreatment, and Trauma: A Pilot Study

Although a large number of studies offer consistent and persuasive evidence that exposure to childhood maltreatment and subsequent juvenile offending behaviours are related, relatively few studies have investigated the mechanisms by which maltreatment might increase risk in young offender populations. The aim of this pilot study was to collate data on the key areas of need from 28 young male offenders in secure care in an Australian jurisdiction, with a specific focus on the inter-relationship between scores on self-report measures of maltreatment, trauma, and mental health. The findings provide preliminary evidence that these key constructs are linked to other proximal risk factors for juvenile offending, such as poor anger regulation and antisocial thinking patterns. They offer a rationale for considering the sequelae of maltreatment in the development of service delivery frameworks for young offenders.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Well-Being in a Low-income, Urban Cohort

OBJECTIVE

This study tests the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and multidimensional well-being in early adulthood for a low-income, urban cohort, and whether a preschool preventive intervention moderates this association.

METHODS

Follow-up data were analyzed for 1202 low-income, minority participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, a prospective investigation of the impact of early experiences on life-course well-being. Born between 1979 and 1980 in high-poverty neighborhoods, individuals retrospectively reported ACEs from birth to adolescence, except in cases of child abuse and neglect.

RESULTS

Nearly two-thirds of the study sample experienced ≥1 ACEs by age 18. After controlling for demographic factors and early intervention status, individuals reporting ACEs were significantly more likely to exhibit poor outcomes than those with no ACEs. Those with ≥4 ACEs had significantly reduced likelihood of high school graduation (odds ratio [OR] = 0.37; P < .001), increased risk for depression (OR = 3.9; P < .001), health compromising behaviors (OR = 4.5; P < .001), juvenile arrest (OR = 3.1; P < .001), and felony charges (OR = 2.8; P < .001). They were also less likely to hold skilled jobs (OR = 0.50; P = .001) and to go further in school even for adversity measured by age 5.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs consistently predicted a diverse set of adult outcomes in a high-risk, economically disadvantaged sample. Effective and widely available preventive interventions are needed to counteract the long-term consequences of ACEs.

Child maltreatment victimization by type in relation to criminal recidivism in juvenile offenders

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the relation between different types of child abuse victimization and criminal recidivism among juvenile offenders.

METHOD

Secondary analyses were conducted on data collected with the Washington State Juvenile Court Assessment and general recidivism. The sample consisted of female (n = 3502) and male (n = 10,111) juvenile offenders.

RESULTS

For male juvenile offenders, neglect and physical abuse victimization were significantly but rather weakly associated with both general and violent recidivism. For female juvenile offenders, neglect and physical abuse were weakly associated with general recidivism, but not with violent recidivism. Sexual abuse was not related to either general or violent recidivism in both male and female juvenile offenders. Most associations between dynamic (treatable) risk domains and recidivism were stronger in male juvenile offenders than in female juvenile offenders. In addition, most risk domains were more strongly related to general recidivism than to violent felony recidivism. For male juvenile offenders, neglect victimization was uniquely related to general recidivism whereas physical abuse victimization was uniquely related to violent recidivism, over and above dynamic risk factors for recidivism. For female juvenile offenders none of the maltreatment variables were uniquely related to general or violent felony recidivism.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood experiences of neglect and physical abuse predict reoffending in male juvenile offenders, pointing at a possible need to address these in risk management interventions.

Effects of Physical and Emotional Child Abuse and Its Chronicity on Crime Into Adulthood

Analyses tested hypotheses that pertain to direct and indirect effects of parent-reported physical and emotional abuse on later self-reported criminal behavior in a sample of 356 adults of a longitudinal study of more than 30 years. Childhood antisocial behavior was included in analyses as a potential mediator. Physical abuse only predicted adult crime indirectly through childhood antisocial behavior, whereas emotional abuse predicted adult outcome both directly and indirectly. Chronicity of physical abuse was indirectly related to later crime in a subsample test for those who had been physically abused (n=318), whereas chronicity of emotional abuse was neither directly nor indirectly related to adult crime in a test of those who had been emotionally abused (n=225). Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Longitudinal examination of peer and partner influences on gender-specific pathways from child abuse to adult crime

Research provides increasing evidence of the association of child abuse with adult antisocial behavior. However, less is known about the developmental pathways that underlie this association. Building on the life course model of antisocial behavior, the present study examined possible developmental pathways linking various forms of child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) to adult antisocial behavior. These pathways include child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adulthood measures of partner risk taking, warmth, and antisocial peer influences. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective longitudinal study examining long-term developmental outcomes subsequent to child maltreatment. Participant families in the Lehigh Longitudinal Study were followed from preschool age into adulthood. Analyses of gender differences addressed the consistency of path coefficients across genders. Results for 297 adult participants followed from early childhood showed that, for both genders, physical and emotional child abuse predicted adult crime indirectly through child and adolescent antisocial behavior, as well as adult partner and antisocial peer influences. However, for females, having an antisocial partner predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, and that in turn predicted adult crime. For males, having an antisocial partner was associated with less partner warmth, which in turn predicted an affiliation with antisocial peers, itself a proximal predictor of adult crime. Sexual abuse also predicted adolescent antisocial behavior, but only for males, supporting what some have called "a delayed-onset pathway" for females, whereby the exposure to early risks produce much later developmental outcomes.

Does Child Maltreatment Predict Adult Crime? Reexamining the Question in a Prospective Study of Gender Differences, Education, and Marital Status

Bivariate analyses of adult crime and child maltreatment showed that individuals who had been maltreated as children, according to child welfare reports, subsequently committed more crime than others who had not been maltreated. Analyses of crimes by category-property, person, and society-provided further evidence of a link between child maltreatment and crime at the bivariate level. Tests of gender differences showed that crime generally is more prevalent among males, although females with a history of maltreatment were more likely than those in a no-maltreatment (comparison) group to report having had some prior involvement in crime. Surprisingly, multivariate analyses controlling for childhood socioeconomic status, gender, minority racial status, marital status, and education level showed that, with one exception (crimes against society), the significant association between child maltreatment and crime observed in bivariate tests was not maintained. Implications for future research are discussed.

Child maltreatment among boy and girl probationers: does type of maltreatment make a difference in offending behavior and psychosocial problems?

This study examined differences in offending behavior and psychosocial problems between juvenile offenders who have been sexually abused (n=231), physically abused (n=1,568), neglected (n=1,555), exposed to multiple forms of maltreatment (n=1,767), and non-victims (n=8,492). In addition, the moderating effect of gender in the association between type of maltreatment and offending behavior/psychosocial problems was examined. Results showed that violent offenses were more common in victims of physical abuse and victims of multiple forms of abuse than in non-victims, both in boys and girls. In boys, sexual offenses were far more common in victims of sexual abuse than in victims of other or multiple forms of maltreatment or in non-victims. In girls, no group differences were found in sexual offending behavior. For both boys and girls, externalizing problems were relatively common in victims of physical abuse and neglect whereas internalizing problems were relatively common in victims of sexual abuse. In victims of multiple forms of maltreatment, both internalizing and externalizing problems were relatively common. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Adverse childhood experiences in the lives of female sex offenders

This study explored the prevalence of early trauma in a sample of U.S. female sexual offenders (N = 47) using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scale. Compared with females in the general population, sex offenders had more than three times the odds of child sexual abuse, four times the odds of verbal abuse, and more than three times the odds of emotional neglect and having an incarcerated family member. Half of the female sex offenders had been sexually abused as a child. Only 20% endorsed zero adverse childhood experiences (compared with 35% of the general female population) and 41% endorsed four or more (compared with 15% of the general female population). Higher ACE scores were associated with having younger victims. Multiple maltreatments often co-occurred in households with other types of dysfunction, suggesting that many female sex offenders were raised within a disordered social environment by adults with problems of their own who were ill-equipped to protect their daughters from harm. By enhancing our understanding of the frequency and correlates of early adverse experiences, we can better devise trauma-informed interventions that respond to the clinical needs of female sex offender clients.

Poly-Victimization Among Girls in the Justice System

Life History Calendars and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to collect data from 100 delinquent girls to (a) examine range and co-occurrence of different types of violence over the life span, (b) examine independent and cumulative trajectories of risk for varied types of victimization, and (c) examine the relationship of victimization to girls’ offending. Risk trajectories demonstrate critical risk periods for different forms of violence exposure. Cox regression was used to examine the predictive value of different forms of violence exposure for the onset of delinquent and criminal behavior. Findings illuminate the need for programs addressing substance use and alternative coping mechanisms.

Gender Differences in the Impact of Abuse and Neglect Victimization on Adolescent Offending Behavior

The present study examines gender differences in the association between abuse and neglect during childhood, and sexual and violent offending in juvenile delinquents. Female juvenile delinquents were more frequently victim of sexual and physical abuse and had a history of neglect and maltreatment than male juvenile offenders. Male juvenile offenders committed more sexual offenses and felony offenses against persons. Female juvenile offenders reported higher levels of having committed misdemeanor offenses against persons and violence that were not included in criminal history. A history of sexual abuse was related to sexual offending, while a history of physical abuse was related to violent offending. The relationships between victimization and offending were stronger in male juvenile offenders than in female juvenile offenders.

Child maltreatment and adult criminal behavior: does criminal thinking explain the association?

Criminal thinking styles were examined as mediational links between different forms of child maltreatment (i.e., sexual abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect) and adult criminal behaviors in 338 recently adjudicated men. Analyses revealed positive associations between child sexual abuse and sexual offenses as an adult, and between child physical abuse/neglect and endorsing proactive and reactive criminal thinking styles. Mediation analyses showed that associations between overall maltreatment history and adult criminal behaviors were accounted for by general criminal thinking styles and both proactive and reactive criminal thinking. These findings suggest a potential psychological pathway to criminal behavior associated with child maltreatment. Limitations of the study as well as research and clinical implications of the results are discussed.

Cycle of coercion: experiences of maltreatment and disciplinary measures in Canadian inmates

Purpose

– In spite of past and current efforts at implementing effective rehabilitative interventions in carceral settings, institutions of confinement are primarily concerned with the maintenance of order within their walls. The purpose of this paper is to better understand associations between inmates’ developmental background and the experience of institutional discipline, to collect information on childhood maltreatment and disciplinary measures for a sample of Canadian prisoners.

Design/methodology/approach

– Information relative to socio-economic background, childhood maltreatment and experience of discipline while in custody was obtained using face-to-face interviews and institutional file review for a sample of 416 male and 106 female offenders in Canadian provincial institutions.

Findings

– Results from logistic regression analyses provided support for the association between childhood maltreatment and the experience of discipline, specifically in the form of increased monitoring from correctional staff. Furthermore, this association was found to be more pronounced for female offenders.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings highlight the need to incorporate a developmental perspective to current understanding of the use of disciplinary interventions in a prison environment. Such an approach may allow for preventing the enactment of a cycle of coercion, with negative consequences for the inmates.

Originality/value

– This study is original in its use of latent variable analytic methods to uncover the structure underlying the construct of childhood maltreatment in adult offenders. In addition, it provides valuable data of interest to researchers, corrections personnel and policy makers on the possible links between earlier developmental experiences and adjustment to the prison environment.

Predictors of drug use in prison among women convicted of violent crimes

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, some prisoners consume illicit drugs while in prison. There is now some recognition of risk factors for this among male but not female prisoners.

AIM

The aim was to identify variables associated with drug use by women in prison after conviction for violent crimes.

METHOD

Data were obtained from 315 women serving a sentence for robbery or homicide in the Penitentiary of Sant'Ana, São Paulo State, Brazil. Mainly self-report assessments of alcohol and drug misuse, sexual and general impulsiveness, depression, and psychosocial and criminological features were completed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Thirty-five (11%) women reported illicit drug use in prison. Younger age, history of childhood sexual abuse, having committed robbery (rather than homicide), earlier onset of criminal activities, higher scores on sexual impulsiveness, drug-related problems prior to incarceration and having same-sex relationships inside prison were associated with a higher risk of using drugs in prison. In a multiple logistic regression, only prior drug history and having same-sex relationships in prison were independently associated with in-prison drug use.

CONCLUSIONS

Illicit drug use in prison impairs rehabilitative goals. Identification of risk factors for this can help to recognise people with high treatment needs. We found that in-prison drug users seemed to be an exceptionally needy group, likely to have more wide ranging historical problems than their similar offending peers. It is essential to check for history of drug use outside prison. The strong association with active sexual behaviour in the prison highlighted another area of vulnerability, requiring sensitive in-prison attention to safeguard these women. Further research to understand the reasons for this relationship is recommended.

Substance misuse subtypes among women convicted of homicide

BACKGROUND

The proportion of women incarcerated is growing at a faster pace than that for men. The reasons for this important increase have been mainly attributed to drug-using lifestyle and drug-related offenses. About half of female inmates have history of substance misuse and one third demonstrate high impulsiveness levels. The objectives of this study were to (a) identify subtypes of alcohol and drug problems and impulsiveness among women convicted of homicide, and (b) examine the association between psychosocial and criminological features and the resulting clusters.

METHODS

Data come from 158 female inmates serving a sentence for homicide in the Penitentiary of Sant'Ana in São Paulo State, Brazil. Latent class analysis was used to group participants into substance misuse and impulsiveness classes.

RESULTS

Two classes were identified: nonproblematic (cluster 1: 54.53%, n = 86) and problematic (cluster 2: 45.57%, n = 72) ones. After controlling for several psychosocial and criminological variables, cluster 2 inmates showed an earlier beginning of criminal activities and a lower educational level than their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

To recognize the necessities of specific groups of female offenders is crucial for the development of an adequate system of health politics and for the decrease of criminal recidivism among those offenders who have shown higher risk.

Long-term outcomes of young adults exposed to maltreatment: the role of educational experiences in promoting resilience to crime and violence in early adulthood

This study investigates whether positive educational experiences in midadolescence mitigate the impact of exposure to substantiated maltreatment and reduces young adult antisocial behavior. While there is theoretical and empirical support for the mediating or moderating role of educational experiences on maltreatment and antisocial outcomes, few prospective studies exist. In this exploratory study, data are from the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), a longitudinal panel study of 1,000 adolescents. The original sample included 73% males, and 85% African American or Hispanic youth of whom about 20% were maltreated. Measures in this study are from a combination of interview data and official records collected through age 23. Outcomes include self-reported crime and violence, arrest, and partner violence perpetration. Educational variables include midadolescent self-report of high school graduation, educational aspiration, college expectation, school commitment, teacher attachment, self-reported grades, school GPA, attendance, and an additive index of all school assets. Multivariate path analysis controlled for gender, race/ethnicity, poverty, and early antisocial behavior. Path analysis examined whether educational experiences mediated the impact of maltreatment on antisocial outcomes. Although maltreatment was significantly predictive of criminal and violent behaviors, it only was weakly associated with educational experiences. The impact of maltreatment on arrest was weakly mediated (reduced) by educational GPA and by high school graduation. The additive index also mediated the impact of maltreatment on crime and violence. Maltreatment's impact on partner violence was also weakly mediated by school GPA. Interaction terms were used to test for moderation: only one significant effect was found: school GPA protects maltreated youth from perpetration of partner violence as young adults. Although there are few significant effects in a number of models, the research is consistent with a focus on promoting school achievement and completion among urban youth in general, in conjunction with addressing earlier antisocial behavior problems.