The Impact of Juvenile Exposure to Adult Facilities on Young Adult Health Outcomes

• In Event: Decoding Juvenile Risk: Review of Tools and Trends

Abstract

Using Pathways to Desistance (n = 1,131) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort (n = 8,961), we use multi-group average treatment effect inverse probability weights to examine whether exposure to juvenile or adult confinement is associated with unique health outcomes in adulthood. We estimate the average treatment effect of exposure to adult facilities on self-reported health, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms in early- and mid-adulthood using weighted Poisson regression models. Generally, we find that respondents who experience deeper system penetration (i.e. no facility exposure versus facility confinement, juvenile facility confinement versus adult facility confinement) report worse overall health and greater depressive and anxious symptoms in adulthood. Several contrary findings suggest that exposure to facilities and exposure to adult facilities are associated with better lower anxiety in adulthood. While exposure to legal-system confinement in adolescence displays negative trends for adult health, community healthcare systems and juvenile systems disadvantage some youth with regard to long-term physical and mental health. A re-evaluation of healthcare practices among marginalized populations and juvenile legal systems is needed to produce quality screening, preventative care, and long-term healthful outcomes.

Author

• Alexandra Nur, University of Nevada, Las Vegas