Incarceration Trajectories: A 15-Year Follow-Up Study of Young Adult Mexican American Males

• In Event: The Many Experiences and Consequences of Incarceration

Abstract

Incarceration has far-reaching detrimental physical, mental and social health consequences on individuals, families and communities. As gang activity in the U.S. continues to steadily increase, adolescents and young adults living in low-income neighborhoods are at disproportionate risk for offending and incarceration. Much research on the impact of incarceration among minority young adult males has tended to be limited by the cross-sectional nature of the methodology. More importantly, few empirical studies have used a longitudinal approach to document distinct incarceration trajectories and their respective cumulative and long-term consequences. This presentation will focus on identifying the existence of subgroups with distinctive incarceration history trajectories. Findings are based upon a 15-year follow up study with 275 Mexican-American young adult men with histories of adolescent gang membership. Using a latent class growth model approach, we identified three incarceration trajectory groups with distinct profiles: intermittent incarceration (68 %), long-term incarceration (20%), and early desisters (12%). Findings indicate unique correlates of these distinctive trajectory groups including socio-demographic characteristics, adolescent drug and alcohol use patterns, and early delinquency. Discussed are the implications for identifying unique risk and protective factors associated with differing incarceration trajectories that may contribute to developing customized criminal justice policies and practices.

Authors

• Avelardo Valdez, University of Southern California

• Qianwei Zhao, University of Southern California

• Alice Cepeda, University of Southern California