Conviction Trajectories and Life-Course Outcomes

• In Event: Exploring the relationship between criminal justice contacts, health and mental health outcomes

Abstract

Developmental and life-course perspectives suggest the persistence, desistance, and adult onset of criminal convictions may have different long-term consequences. Using population-based, longitudinal register data from Sweden, this study examines how conviction patterns before and after age 18 are associated with later-life outcomes. Four groups were compared: abstainers (no criminal convictions; n=2,646,002), adolescent-limited (conviction before 18 only; n=138,679), late bloomers (conviction after 18 only; n=545,422), and life-course persistent (conviction before and after 18; n=166,846). Cox proportional hazards models indicate that adolescent-limited (HR = 1.46), late bloomers (HR = 2.46), and life-course persistent (HR = 4.97) groups had higher risk of premature mortality compared to abstainers. Similarly, adolescent-limited (HR = 1.45), late bloomers (HR = 1.39), and life-course persistent (HR = 1.86) groups had higher risk of unintentional injuries compared to abstainers. Logistic regression results indicate that compared to abstainers, the odds of attaining higher levels of education were lower among adolescent-limited (OR = 0.47), late bloomers (OR = 0.35), and life-course persistent (OR = 0.14) groups. These patterns persisted even after adjusting for covariates. By linking conviction trajectories to later-life outcomes, this study contributes to developmental and life-course criminology by highlighting the broader life-course consequences of criminal justice contact.

Authors

• Shichun Ling, California State University, Los Angeles

• Sofi Oskarsson, Örebro University

• Anneli Andersson, Örebro University

• Henrik Larsson, Örebro University

• Catherine Tuvblad, Örebro University