Examining the Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences among Juvenile Offenders

Abstract

While prior research has examined trauma and maltreatment rates among juvenile offenders, there has been limited research using an ACE risk assessment to measure the ACE prevalence among juvenile offenders. Further use and examination of these risk assessments are needed, as these assessments provide screening results to target interventions and prevent reoffending. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among a sample of juvenile offenders (n=391) to examine whether the type of ACE experienced varied by recidivism, gender, or racial/ethnic differences. Our study findings demonstrate that juvenile offenders have higher prevalence rates of parental separation/divorce, parental incarceration, and household violence than adolescents nationally, and confirm previous findings that parental separation/divorce is significantly associated with recidivism. Our study also found significant differences in ACE exposure, by sex, among juvenile detention offenders. Implications and limitations are discussed.