Parental Incarceration and Arrest at School: A Focus on Justice-Involved Youth

• In Event: Advances in Life-Course Criminology: Family Contexts, Adversity, and Justice System Contact

Abstract

Parental incarceration can negatively impact youth, leading to increased risk of arrest and poorer academic outcomes. Research demonstrates that children with incarcerated parents often experience lower grades, higher rates of suspension or expulsion, and increased delinquent and rule-breaking behaviors. Within school environments, these youth may face stigmatization from peers and teachers, disengage from school activities, and have higher rates of contact with the juvenile justice system. While research has established connections between parental incarceration, school difficulties, and criminal behavior, two critical questions remain unexplored: (1) whether parental incarceration specifically increases the risk of school-based arrests, and (2) how school problems and school connectedness might explain this relationship. This study examines these questions using data from system-involved youth in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The analysis investigates whether parental incarceration correlates with increased risk of school arrest and if school problems and connectedness mediate this relationship. The results and their implications for research and policy development will be discussed.

Author

• Szilvia D. Biro, Florida State University