Justice and Emotions: Police Encounters & Callous-Unemotional Traits

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Juvenile Mental Health and Well-Being: Social Support and the Influence of Traits

Abstract

Fair treatment by the police is referred to as procedural justice. Negative perceptions of procedural justice (e.g., feeling unheard or disrespected) predict greater recidivism, mistrust of the justice system, and psychological distress among adolescents. Some adolescents respond to traumatic experiences through maladaptive mechanisms such as callous-unemotional (CU) traits. CU traits refer to interpersonal and affective deficits characterized by social indifference, apathy, and restricted affect. Importantly, youth with elevated CU traits are at a heightened risk for offending and recidivism. Given these findings, we examine whether negatively perceived police encounters would predict CU traits among adolescents. Data from the Crossroads Study, a longitudinal multi-site study of 1216 male youth arrested for moderate-level offenses. These adolescents were interviewed over 5 years after their first arrest. Adolescents completed a self-report assessing their CU traits and reported on how their treatment in their most recent police encounter. Regression analyses revealed that negative perceptions of police encounters predicted greater subsequent CU traits. Our findings illustrate that adolescents who perceive unfair treatment from police officers may be at risk for developing later CU traits. We encourage improvement in police treatment that focuses on transparency and equity to promote better outcomes for justice-involved youth.

Authors

• Tristan Sodkomkum, University of California, Irvine

• Curtis Donovyn Smith, University of California, Irvine

• Jordan Beardslee, University of California, Irvine

• Elizabeth E. Cauffman, University of California, Irvine