| Popis: |
The complex relationship between economic disadvantage, antisocial behavior, stress, and health makes assessing the role of the criminal justice system on health more complicated than previous descriptions in criminological literature. Previous literature has asserted that incarceration has long-term repercussions for mental and physical health. Yet, researchers have not explored directly the criminal justice system involvement and health connection while adequately controlling for childhood poverty and a history of antisocial behavior. Furthermore, researchers have theorized that stress is a mechanism facilitating these relationships. However, few studies have attempted to empirically test the role of general stress. Using the Toledo Adolescent Relationship Study (TARS), I tested whether being arrested or incarcerated has a long-term negative influence on the health of individuals who engage in health adverse behavior and come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, I examined stress as a potential mechanism through which economic disadvantage and criminal justice system involvement affects health outcomes. Results supported my hypothesis that antisocial behavior and a history of economic disadvantage explains the relationship between the criminal justice system and self-reported health outcomes in young adulthood. However, my results did not support my hypothesis that the relationship between depressive symptoms and incarceration history was spurious. My results supported the role of stress as a mediating factor between incarceration and depression. Results from the present study demonstrated how the effect of incarceration is subject to several confounding factors. Most prominently, economic contexts and antisocial lifestyles. Future research should not neglect these pre-incarceration factors when assessing the effects of incarceration on health and well-being. |
