Police Stops and Sleep Problems Among Youth in the US and the UK

• In Event: Police Contact and Health

Abstract

Youth-police contact has been shown to undermine various facets of adolescent health and well-being, including mental health. The present study extends this body of research by assessing the association between police stops and sleep problems among two distinct youth samples: a national sample of urban-born youth in the US and a large, representative sample of youth in the UK. Findings reveal significant associations between youth–police contact and multiple facets of sleep across both national contexts. Data also suggest that the features and contexts of police stops are relevant to certain facets of youth sleep. While the odds of experiencing sleep problems were greatest among youth who were arrested/taken into custody, they remained significant even in the absence of an arrest. Beyond analysis of survey data, analysis using alternative measurement strategies largely corroborate the findings. These findings indicate the need for strategies and interventions among both law enforcement and public health practitioners that mitigate the adverse repercussions of police stops for adolescent sleep health.

Authors

• Dylan B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

• Alexander Testa, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston