Background

System-involved youth experience elevated rates of exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE), which is related to reentry in the criminal legal system and increased risk of using substances, but there is little research on the indirect role of substance use in the relation between adversity and offending in youth offenders. Notably, the majority of youth report exposure to multiple adverse events and these experiences vary by gender.

Objective

The present study aimed to expand upon current literature by evaluating gender differences in the relations among cumulative ACEs, substance use severity, and reoffending in a sample of rural detained youth (N = 417).

Methods and Results

Using Poisson (count) regression analyses, cumulative adversity significantly predicted reoffending among girls and boys. Additionally, there was a significant indirect effect of ACEs on reoffending via substance use. Girls reported higher exposure to adversity and substance use, and gender significantly interacted with ACEs to predict substance use and reoffending.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate the importance of cumulative experiences of adversity in childhood and substance use as predictors of youth reentry into the criminal legal system. Understanding the role of substance use in the relation between ACEs and reoffending has the potential to contribute to our knowledge of detained youth's treatment needs and reoffending risk.

中文翻译：

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了解被拘留青年的不良童年经历 (ACE)、药物使用和再犯罪之间的关系

背景

参与系统的青少年经历的不良童年经历 (ACE) 暴露率升高，这与重新进入刑事法律体系和使用药物的风险增加有关，但关于药物使用在两者关系中的间接作用的研究很少青少年罪犯的逆境和犯罪。值得注意的是，大多数青年报告接触过多种不良事件，这些经历因性别而异。

客观的

本研究旨在通过评估农村被拘留青年样本中累积 ACE、物质使用严重程度和再犯罪之间关系的性别差异来扩展当前文献（N  = 417）。

方法和结果

使用泊松（计数）回归分析，累积逆境显着预测女孩和男孩的再犯罪。此外，ACE 对通过物质使用再次犯罪有显着的间接影响。女孩报告说，他们更容易遭受逆境和物质使用，而性别与 ACE 显着相互作用以预测物质使用和再次犯罪。

结论

这些发现证明了童年逆境和物质使用的累积经验作为青少年重新进入刑事法律体系的预测因素的重要性。了解物质使用在 ACE 与再犯罪之间的关系中的作用有可能有助于我们了解被拘留青年的治疗需求和再犯罪风险。