Shannon Lynch
Professor of Psychology, Idaho State University
Key Findings
- The severity of substance use, and reoffending in rural detained youth, cumulative experiences of adversity in childhood and substance use were important predictors of youth re-entry into the criminal legal system.
- Young offenders had high rates of exposure to ACEs, which were related to both re-entry into the criminal legal system and the increased risk of substance use.
- In a study of the records of more than 400 predominantly male, White 9- to 17-year-olds at a regional detention center in Idaho, most had elevated rates of exposure to adversity, girls had more ACEs than boys, and cumulative adversity predicted reoffending among both girls and boys.
- ACEs had a significant indirect effect on youth’s reoffending via substance use.
- Girls reported higher exposure to substance use, and gender interacted with ACEs to predict their substance use and reoffending.
- Rates of reoffending did not differ by gender, but gender significantly moderated the relation between ACEs and reoffending, suggesting that girls with higher levels of ACEs are more likely to reoffend than boys with comparable ACE levels.
- Identifying the role of substance use in the relation between ACEs and reoffending can help the field better understand the treatment needs of detained youth and their risks of reoffending, with the goal of lowering rates of recidivism.
Description
In the article, “Understanding the Relations Among Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), Substance Use, and Reoffending among Detained Youth,” Shannon Lynch evaluated gender differences in the relations among cumulative ACEs, the severity of substance use, and reoffending in rural detained youth. Youth involved with the criminal justice system experience elevated rates of exposure to ACEs, and these are related to re-entry in the criminal legal system, as well as to the increased risk of using substances. Lynch and her co-author examined records of 417 youth at a regional detention center in Idaho. Participants were juveniles across six predominantly rural counties who offended at least once between 2016 and 2019; re-offenses were recorded through February 2020. Youth, who ranged in age from 9 to 17 and were predominantly male, identified as White, non-Hispanic (70%), Hispanic (16%), American Indian/Alaska Native (11.5%), and Black/African American (1%). Youth in the study had elevated rates of exposure to adversity (an average of three and a half exposures across their lives), girls reported significantly more adversities than boys, and cumulative adversity significantly predicted reoffending among both girls and boys. In addition, ACEs exerted a significant indirect effect on reoffending via substance use. Girls reported higher exposure to substance use, and gender significantly interacted with ACEs to predict substance use and reoffending. But while rates of reoffending did not differ by gender, gender significantly moderated the relation between ACEs and reoffending. This suggests that girls with higher levels of ACEs are more likely to reoffend than boys with comparable ACE levels. The findings demonstrate the importance of cumulative experiences of adversity in childhood and substance use as predictors of youth re-entry into the criminal legal system. Understanding the role of substance use in the relation between ACEs and reoffending can contribute to knowledge of detained youth’s treatment needs and risk of reoffending. These can be used to inform efforts to develop and implement screening processes for at-risk youth with the goal of increasing referrals and youth’s access to services (including treatment) to decrease rates of recidivism.