Victimized and Criminalized: The Intertwined Narratives of Trauma and Offending

• In Event: Analyzing ROADS Data to Explore Desistance: Health, Trauma, Transformation, and Redemption

Abstract

How do pathways between childhood victimization, drug use, and offending behavior vary for recordholders of different races and genders? Prior literature indicates that there are distinct processes that can link childhood victimization to drug use and offending behavior. These processes are rooted at least partially in experiences of racism/discrimination, placement relative to sociocultural power structures, and norms established over one’s childhood through peer and familial influences. However, less is known how these differ by race, gender, and the intersection thereof. Using mixed methods to analyze interview data from a 7-wave longitudinal study, this paper examines intersectional differences in narrative pathways that link childhood victimization, drug use, and offending behavior.

Author

• Caitlin Udas, University at Albany, SUNY