History Of Criminal Justice Involvement Research Articles

Factors Associated With Visual Impairment Among Adults With a History of Criminal Justice Involvement.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with visual impairment among adults with a history of criminal justice involvement (CJI). This retrospective, cross-sectional study reviewed adult respondents from the 2015-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. We analyzed sociodemographic and health characteristics to determine factors associated with visual impairment among adults with and without a history of CJI. In this national, population-based study, we found similar rates of visual impairment among adults with and without CJI (5.7% vs. 4.2%, p < .001). However, adults with CJI were more likely to report visual impairment at a younger age. Among adults with CJI, visual impairment was associated with female sex, older age, Black/African American race, less education, lower income, and chronic health conditions (including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illness, mental health symptoms, and hearing impairment). CJI in the past year (probation [adjusted odds ratio, AOR, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.53-0.93]; one arrest [AOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.14-1.89]; two or more arrests [AOR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.29-2.33]) was uniquely associated with visual impairment among adults with a CJI history (p < .05 for all relationships). Research, screening, and treatment for visual impairment should include those with justice involvement to improve health equity.

Justice System Contact and Health: Do Immigrants Fair Better or Worse than the Native-Born after Arrest, Probation, or Incarceration?

Despite decades of both macro- and micro-level studies showing immigration to be unassociated or negatively linked to crime, research examining the consequences of justice system contact among immigrants has been comparatively underdeveloped. The current study examines whether justice system contact (arrest, probation, and incarceration) is linked to poorer health and, in turn, whether there were differences in how justice system contact is related to immigrant versus native-born health. Using data from multiple waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we construct both ordinal and Poisson regression models predicting poor self-rated health and the prevalence of chronic health conditions for both foreign-born and native-born groups, as well as different generations. The findings suggest important differences by nativity, immigrant generation, and type of justice system contact. Despite lower criminality than the native-born, the health of immigrants is deleteriously impacted by some types of justice system contact, especially incarceration, while probation is more strongly linked to poor health among the native-born. Our findings carry implications for the provision of care for individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement, as well as academic research examining the consequences of justice contact and the immigration–crime nexus.

Perceived healthcare quality and contraception utilization among persons recently incarcerated

PurposePreviously incarcerated women have specific gender and physiologic needs that are poorly addressed on community re-entry. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between contraception use and perceived healthcare quality post-incarceration. Additionally, we examine the association between social determinants of health and contraception use post-incarceration. MethodsA secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study of reproductive-aged women with a history of criminal-justice involvement in three cities (n = 383) was performed. Questions related to demographics, social determinants of health, sexual and reproductive health practices, health services use, and healthcare quality were analyzed. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression examined associations between these variables and contraception utilization among persons recently incarcerated. Results35% of the participants used a method to prevent pregnancy. There were no significant differences noted between contraceptive users and non-users in perceived healthcare quality. Participants who were not using a contraceptive method were more likely to lack health insurance and experience food insecurity when compared to contraceptive users. ConclusionsAlthough there was no difference in perceived healthcare quality between contraceptive users and non-users, significant barriers to contraceptive access on community re-entry exist. More studies are warranted to explore the sexual and reproductive health of previously incarcerated women.

National variability in Americans' COVID-19 protective behaviors: Implications for vaccine roll-out.

Protective behaviors such as mask wearing and physical distancing are critical to slow the spread of COVID-19, even in the context of vaccine scale-up. Understanding the variation in self-reported COVID-19 protective behaviors is critical to developing public health messaging. The purpose of the study is to provide nationally representative estimates of five self-reported COVID-19 protective behaviors and correlates of such behaviors. In this cross-sectional survey study of US adults, surveys were administered via internet and telephone. Adults were surveyed from April 30-May 4, 2020, a time of peaking COVID-19 incidence within the US. Participants were recruited from the probability-based AmeriSpeak® national panel. Brief surveys were completed by 994 adults, with 73.0% of respondents reported mask wearing, 82.7% reported physical distancing, 75.1% reported crowd avoidance, 89.8% reported increased hand-washing, and 7.7% reported having prior COVID-19 testing. Multivariate analysis (p critical value .05) indicates that women were more likely to report protective behaviors than men, as were those over age 60. Respondents who self-identified as having low incomes, histories of criminal justice involvement, and Republican Party affiliation, were less likely to report four protective behaviors, though Republicans and individuals with criminal justice histories were more likely to report having received COVID-19 testing. The majority of Americans engaged in COVID-19 protective behaviors, with low-income Americans, those with histories of criminal justice involvement, and self-identified Republicans less likely to engage in these preventive behaviors. Culturally competent public health messaging and interventions might focus on these latter groups to prevent future infections. These findings will remain highly relevant even with vaccines widely available, given the complementarities between vaccines and protective behaviors, as well as the many challenges in delivering vaccines.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Awareness Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men with a History of Criminal Justice Involvement in Six U.S. Cities: Findings from the HPTN 061 Study.

Transition from detention to the community for Black men who have sex with men with criminal justice involvement (BMSM-CJI) represents a particularly vulnerable period for HIV acquisition and transmission. We examined levels of HIV PrEP awareness among BMSM-CJI. PrEP awareness among BMSM-CJI was low (7.9%) with evidence of lower awareness levels among those with STI. There was evidence that HIV testing history was associated with higher PrEP awareness. Study findings highlight needs for further assessment of PrEP knowledge among BMSM-CJI. The strong association between HIV testing and PrEP awareness underscores an opportunity to integrate PrEP education within HIV/STI testing services.

A comparison of criminogenic risk factors and psychiatric symptomatology between psychiatric inpatients with and without criminal justice involvement.

Research suggests distinct criminal risk factors, not mental illness, are more strongly associated with most criminal behaviors. This notion has been supported among inpatient persons with mental illness (PMI) when examining antisocial cognitions; however, other key criminogenic risk factors (the Big Four and Central Eight risk factors) have not been examined among psychiatric inpatient PMI. We hypothesized that criminal justice (CJ)-involved PMI would endorse significantly greater criminogenic risk compared to non-CJ-involved PMI and that these risk factors would significantly and accurately identify whether PMI had CJ involvement. Additionally, we hypothesized that PMI with and without a history of CJ involvement would not significantly differ on their reported psychiatric symptomatology. We examined all Central Eight criminal risk factors and psychiatric symptomatology among psychiatric inpatient PMI (N = 142) with (n = 74) and without (n = 68) CJ involvement histories. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis indicated significant differences between the Big Four and Central Eight criminal risk factors when classifying CJ and non-CJ groups. The Big Four risk factors correctly classified 85.9% of participants, and the Central Eight correctly classified 99.3% of participants into CJ and non-CJ groups; however, psychiatric symptoms only correctly classified 57.7% of participants into CJ and non-CJ groups. Criminal risk factors appear to be more strongly associated with CJ involvement among PMI than psychiatric symptomatology; therefore, psychotherapeutic intervention on criminal risk factors, not only mental illness, may decrease criminal recidivism among CJ-involved PMI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Psycho-Social Correlates of Opioid Use Disorder among the US Adult Population: Evidence from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2015–2018

Background The United States (US) has experienced an opioid epidemic over the last two decades. Drug overdose deaths increased by 21% from 2015 to 2016, with two-thirds of these deaths attributed to opioid use disorder (OUD). This study assessed the psycho-social correlates associated with OUD over 2015–2018 in the US. Methods: This study used data collected from 171,766 (weighted = 245,838,163) eligible non-institutionalized US adults in the pooled National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2015–2018. Survey-weighted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the psycho-social correlates of OUD. Results: About 0.85% of the respondents reported having OUD in the past year. About one-quarter (26.3%), one-sixth (14.8%), and half (47.3%) of the respondents with OUD reported alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine dependence, respectively. One-sixth (16.7%) had a criminal justice involvement history, and almost one-third (30.8%) experienced a major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year. In multivariable analysis, ≤64 years, White race, male gender, lower educational attainment, unemployment, large metro area residence, history of alcohol, marijuana, nicotine use disorder, history of criminal justice involvement, and MDE in previous year were associated with higher odds of OUD. In contrast, being married, non-Hispanic African American, non-Hispanic Other, and Hispanic ethnicity, good physical health, private health insurance, and higher risk perception about addictive substance use were associated with lower odds of OUD. Conclusions: OUD is more prevalent among certain sociodemographic groups in the US. Targeted interventions focusing on young, White, unmarried, male, and uninsured/Medicaid/Medicare populations should be implemented to reduce the OUD.

Embedding a Co-occurring Disorders Rehabilitation Intervention in Veterans Courts: A Pilot Study with Male Veterans.

Veterans treatment courts (VTCs) have expanded dramatically despite their limited empirical base. This pilot study examined MISSION-Criminal Justice (CJ), a co-occurring disorders wraparound intervention, delivered alongside two VTCs. Baseline data from 26 male veterans enrolled in two VTCs and MISSION-CJ, and 6-month follow-up data for 18 of the 26 veterans, are presented. Veterans on average were 37.5years old, 85% Caucasian, had significant histories of criminal justice involvement (14.3 lifetime arrests), had an average of 14.7years of alcohol use and 9.3years of illicit drug use, and roughly three-quarters reported mental health symptomatology. At 6-month follow-up, veterans demonstrated improvements in behavioral health, substance use, and criminal justice outcomes. This study demonstrated promising preliminary outcomes of MISSION-CJ in VTCs. A randomized controlled trial is a critical next step to examine whether these outcomes remain consistent with a more rigorous design.

Exploring how employment schemes for young offenders aid desistance from crime

Criminological literature investigating the association between employment and desistance presents largely mixed findings. This article uses the Skill Mill employment scheme for young offenders as a case study to advance our understanding of how participating in work programmes can influence youth reoffending. Participant observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with young attendees of the scheme and their supervisors. The findings suggest that employment schemes that offer remuneration, that influence how attendees are perceived by others, that encourage friendships between individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement and that employ supervisors who manage the dynamics of the work group and support young people to change can aid desistance.

MSW Programs’ Admissions Policies Regarding Applicants with Histories of Criminal Justice Involvement

ABSTRACT This article examines U.S.-based MSW programs’ admissions practices and policies toward applicants with criminal convictions. Despite national attention to mass incarceration and its impact on college admissions, there is a dearth of empirical investigation in this area. Through a national survey of MSW programs’ admissions personnel (n = 146), this study seeks to fill this research gap. We ask: How do MSW programs evaluate applicants with criminal justice histories; what factors account for programs’ interest/concern with these histories; and what factors influence programs’ admission decision-making in relation to these applicants? Findings indicate that a majority of MSW programs screen applicants in relation to their criminal justice backgrounds and do so primarily to uphold professional gatekeeping responsibilities and address concerns related to securing field placements. Social justice issues did not emerge as a significant factor in program practices and policies. The majority of respondents did not provide training or guidelines to the reviewers regarding evaluation of applicants with criminal convictions nor did programs’ criteria for admission entirely correlate with the criminal justice literature on predictors of recidivism. Recommendations include greater transparency in processes and greater training and consistency for reviewers.

Principles to Guide National Data Collection on the Health of Persons in the Criminal Justice System.

Few national data collection efforts have provided public health data on the criminal justice–involved population (defined hereinafter). The Bureau of Justice Statistics, an agency in the US Department of Justice, routinely collects, analyzes, and disseminates data on health and mortality in prisons and jails to monitor trends and inform policy and planning (Table 1).1-4 Agencies such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism direct or conduct surveys of the currently noninstitutionalized population to characterize substance use among persons with a history of criminal justice involvement.18

Parenting from a County Jail: Parenting from Beyond the Bars

The incarceration of mothers affects 1.7 million minor children who are at high risk of behavioral problems, emotional trauma, and future incarceration. The jail setting removes women from society for brief periods of time providing an opportunity to offer essential interventions for those who will be returning to the community, and possibly their children, rather quickly. Utilizing a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design, we measured the self-reported treatment effects for female inmates, housed in a county jail in the New York metropolitan area, who completed an evidence-based parenting program. Program participants reported reduced depression, increased parental knowledge, and increased communication with their families and fellow inmates. The results indicated that alternative ways of measuring program success are needed – particularly for populations who present with long histories of criminal justice involvement and drug use.

Tobacco use among non-elderly adults with and without criminal justice involvement in the past year: United States, 2008\u20132016

BackgroundTobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and is concentrated among disadvantaged populations, including individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement. However, tobacco use among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement has been understudied in the United States, and data are needed to inform policy and practice.MethodsWe used data from the 2008–2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (unweighted N = 330,130) to examine trends in tobacco use, categories of tobacco use, characteristics of cigarette use, and health care utilization and tobacco use screening among individuals (aged 18–64) with and without a history of criminal justice involvement in the past year. We used multiple logistic and Poisson regression models with predictive margins to provide adjusted prevalence estimates.ResultsThe weighted sample in each year was, on average, representative of 8,693,171 individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement in the past year and 182,817,228 individuals with no history of criminal justice involvement in the past year. Tobacco use was significantly more common among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement compared with individuals with no criminal justice involvement, and disparities increased over time (Difference in adjusted relative differences: − 10.2% [95% CI − 17.7 to − 2.7]). In 2016, tobacco use prevalence was more than two times higher among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement (62.9% [95% CI 59.9–66.0] vs. 27.6% [95% CI 26.9–28.3]). Individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement who smoked reported a significantly earlier age of cigarette initiation, more cigarettes used per day, and higher levels of nicotine dependence and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement were less likely to report an outpatient medical visit in the past year and, among those reporting an outpatient medical visit, were less likely to be asked about tobacco use, but paradoxically, more likely to report being advised to quit.ConclusionsNovel programs and tobacco control policies are needed to address persistently high rates of tobacco use and reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement.

Behavioral characteristics and their association with syphilis seroprevalence among a cohort of young Black men who have sex with men.

The objective of this study was to describe the sociodemographic characteristics and behavioral factors that are associated with syphilis seroprevalence in a cohort of young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) in Chicago, USA (n = 606). The weighted syphilis seroprevalence in the study population was 29.2% (95% CI 23.9, 35.1). A bivariate probit multiple regression model was used to estimate the outcomes. Characteristics that were positively associated with syphilis seropositivity included being age 19-20, 21-24, and at least age 25 compared to the reference group (age 16-18 years old) (0.72 [95% CI 0.18, 1.25], 1.40 [95% CI 0.68, 2.13], and 1.34 [95% CI 0.75,1.94], respectively), using social media to meet sexual partners (0.33 [95% CI 0.05, 0.61]), using condoms more often (0.39 [95% CI 0.02, 0.76]), and a history of criminal justice involvement (0.25 [95% CI 0.06, 0.44]). Our study results suggest that among YBMSM in Chicago, interventions promoting condom use may be less effective for syphilis prevention compared to HIV prevention in this population. The contribution of nonpenetrative sex to syphilis prevalence requires additional research as does how best to implement routine syphilis screening and treatment for YBMSM in the context of ongoing syphilis transmission.

Exposure to community violence and substance use among Black men who have sex with men: examining the role of psychological distress and criminal justice involvement

ABSTRACTYoung Black MSM (YBMSM) are disproportionately affected by violence, criminal justice involvement, and other structural factors that also increase vulnerability to HIV. This study examined associations between exposure to community violence (ECV) and substance use, psychological distress, and criminal justice involvement (CJI) among YBMSM in Chicago, IL. Respondent driven sampling was used to recruit a sample of 618 YBMSM (aged 16–29) from the South Side of Chicago between June 2013 and July 2014. Weighted logistic regression assessed the direct effects of ECV, CJI, and psychological distress on substance use outcomes. Indirect effects were assessed via path analysis with mean and variance adjusted weighted least squares estimation and sampling weights. Over 90% reported lifetime exposure to violence, 41% had history of CJI, and substance use was common. Almost one-third reported daily or more frequent marijuana use; 17% reported substance use related problems and drug use other than marijuana. ECV was directly and positively associated with CJI, psychological distress, and problematic substance use, with significant indirect effects from ECV to⁠ problematic substance use via CJI and psychological distress. HIV prevention interventions for YBMSM should address the underlying contextual drivers of substance use and psychological distress, including violence exposure and criminal justice involvement.

Interplay of Race and Criminal Justice Involvement on Sexual Behaviors of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men

PurposeCriminal justice involvement is a significant problem in the United States, and poses substantial negative immediate and long-term effects, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Research has been mixed on the association between a history of arrest or incarceration and an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus, but there are clear trends in the association between criminal justice involvement and sexual risk behaviors. MethodsDrawing from a racially or ethnically diverse sample of young men who have sex with men, we conducted an investigation into whether there was a temporal relationship between history of criminal justice involvement and engagement in high-risk sexual behaviors. We also examined whether sexual behaviors among black men who have sex with men (MSM) were more substantially impacted by arrest or incarceration than those of non-black MSM. Data were collected within a longitudinal study of young MSM in Chicago. ResultsMore than one-third of participants (37.8%) reported having ever been in trouble with the police in their lifetime, and 10% had been incarcerated. In multivariable analysis, black race, history of incarceration, and the interaction were all significantly positively associated with an increase in reported number of male anal sex partners. ConclusionsWe found that the intersection between race and criminal justice involvement plays a major role in sexual behaviors. More research is needed to understand why a history of arrest or incarceration has a much more profound effect on black MSM than on non-black MSM.

Criminal Thinking, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Recovery Attitudes Among Community Mental Health Patients: An Examination of Program Placement

Research suggests it is important to consider criminogenic needs among individuals with severe mental illness. This study aimed to determine the severity of criminal thinking in community-based clinical samples, understand the association between criminal thinking and psychiatric and criminal justice outcomes, and compare these associations between consumers enrolled in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) programs. Participants ( N = 234) were male and female consumers enrolled in ACT and FACT programs in five states. Results revealed no significant differences in criminal thinking when comparing participants by program type or history of criminal justice involvement. There were significant positive relations between general criminal thinking and psychiatric symptomatology and the number of lifetime arrests, a negative association between recovery attitudes and general criminal thinking, and ACT participants reported a greater number of lifetime psychiatric hospitalizations than FACT participants. Result implications are discussed with specific reference to treatment programming.

Housing Experiences among Opioid-Dependent, Criminal Justice-Involved Individuals in Washington, D.C.

Residential mobility and type of housing contributes to an individual's likelihood and frequency of drug/alcohol use and committing criminal offenses. Little research has focused simultaneouslyon the influence of housing status on the use of drugs and criminal behavior. The present study examines how residential mobility (transitions in housing) and recent housing stability (prior 30days) correlates with self-reported criminal activity and drug/alcohol use among a sample of 504 addicted, treatment-seeking opioid users with a history of criminal justice involvement. Findings suggest that those with a greater number of housing transitions were considerably less likely to self-report criminal activity, and criminal involvement was highest among those who were chronically homeless. Residential mobility was unassociated with days of drug and alcohol use; however, residing in regulated housing (halfway houses and homeless shelters) was associated with a decreased frequency of substance use. The finding that residing at sober-living housing facilities with regulations governing behavior (regulated housing) was associated with a lower likelihood of illicit substance use may suggest that regulated housing settings may influence behavior. Further research in this area should explore how social networks and other related variables moderate the effects of housing type and mobility on crime and substance use.

At the intersection of criminal justice involvement and sexual orientation: Dynamic networks and health among a population-based sample of young Black men who have sex with men

Mass incarceration of young Black men has a significant impact on their network composition and stability that, in turn, may have major implications for health and well-being. A sub-group of young Black men with criminal justice involvement (CJI) identify as gay, bisexual or are non-identified men who have sex with men (hereafter MSM). This paper focuses on the potential effects of CJI on the composition of Black MSM social and sexual networks, their stability over time, and concomitant health and social outcomes. We use data from the UConnect study, a population-based cohort of young Black MSM 16–29 years of age (n=618) selected using respondent-driven sampling in Chicago from 2013 to 2016. Both confidant and sexual network name generators and interpreters were administered at 9-month intervals over three waves of data collection. Ego and dyadic-level data were collected on behaviors prevalent among MSM and including factors associated with network CJI, network stability, and health outcomes. Generalized Structural Equation Models (GSEM) were utilized to determine the relationship between CJI network composition, network stability and behaviors prevalent among young Black MSM and their networks. In the UConnect cohort, 46% had at least once been detained, arrested or spent time in jail or prison. In addition, 20% of participants reported incident CJI over the study period. Respondents with a history of CJI were significantly more likely to have CJI homophily in their confidant and sexual networks. Multivariate analyses demonstrate that the association between one’s history of CJI, housing instability and drug use is partially explained by one’s network CJI. In addition, a higher prevalence of network CJI is associated with increased turnover in the confidant network, and this network instability is also related to important health and social outcomes. This analysis describes the networks of criminal justice involved men among a representative sample of young Black MSM and demonstrates the relationship between CJI network homophily, network stability and their impact on several key health and social outcomes relevant to this population.

Criminal justice involvement history is associated with better HIV care continuum metrics among a population-based sample of young black MSM.

To examine how history of criminal justice involvement (CJI) is related to HIV care continuum metrics among young black MSM 16-29 years of age. Population-based survey. From 2013 to 2014, a representative sample of young black MSM was generated using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in Chicago (n = 618). HIV antibody/antigen and RNA testing were performed using dry blood spots. Factors assessed in the care continuum included HIV testing, HIV diagnosis, linkage to care within 6 months, retention in care, adherence to antiretrovirals, and viral suppression. RDS-weighted regression models examined the associations between history of CJI, including frequency of CJI and durations of stay and each of the continuum metrics. A final analytic sample of 618 participants was generated through RDS chains of up to 13 waves in length and with a mean of 2.1 recruits per participant. At enrollment, 40.8% had prior history of CJI and 34.6% were HIV seropositive. Of persons reporting HIV seropositive status, 58.4% were linked to care, 40.2% were retained in care, 32.2% were adherent to antiretrovirals, and 24.3% were virally suppressed. Any CJI history was associated with the overall care continuum (adjusted odds ratio = 2.35; 95% confidence interval 1.13-4.88) and was most associated with increased retention in care [adjusted odds ratio = 3.72 (1.77-7.84)]. Having one CJI experience and detention for only 1 day was associated with better retention in care compared with no or more frequent CJI. Those with a previous history of CJI were more successful in achieving most HIV care continuum metrics. Frequent and cycling CJI, however, was detrimental to HIV care.