Arrest Experiences and Accelerated Biological Aging During Childhood and Adolescence

• In Event: Biosocial Pathways in Criminology: From Behavioral Traits to Biological Aging

Abstract

This study integrates the stress process theory with biological aging research to investigate the impact of early arrest experiences on biological aging during the first two decades of life. Utilizing longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we find that arrest experiences between ages 9 and 15 are associated with accelerated biological aging, as measured by multiple epigenetic aging markers constructed using DNA methylation data, including phenotypic age (PhenoAge), Grim Age, Dunedin Pace of Aging (DunedinPACE), and the Pediatric-Buccal-Epigenetic (PedBE) Clock. Our findings indicate that the association between arrest and accelerated epigenetic aging is primarily attributable to an extrinsic process reflecting age-related changes in cell-type composition, specifically a decrease in the proportion of immune cells. Evidence suggests that this decrease corresponds with changes in the balance of naïve and memory T cells. These findings enhance our understanding of how socioenvironmental factors can impact individual health disparities through the biological aging process, particularly within the immune system. This research underscores the importance of considering both social and biological dimensions when addressing health disparities related to criminal justice contact.

Authors

• Hexuan Liu, University of Cincinnati

• J.C. Barnes, University of Cincinnati

• Francesco P. DiRienzo, University of Cincinnati

• Peter T. Tanksley, ALERRT Center, Texas State University

• Calen P. Ryan, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

• Daniel Belsky, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University