NCJ Number
243246
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 40 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2013 Pages: 671-689
Date Published
June 2013
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article examines parental incarceration and the link to a wide range of negative intergenerational consequences, including involvement in the criminal justice system.
Abstract
Parental incarceration has been linked to a wide range of negative intergenerational consequences, including involvement in the criminal justice system. Prior research indicates that those who experience episodes of parental incarceration during childhood are significantly more likely to report contact with the police, arrest, conviction, and incarceration. There remains, however, considerable debate as to whether these relationships are causal or merely correlational. Although many theoretical frameworks offer guidance in understanding these associations (e.g., social learning, strain, labeling), less work has focused on genetic risk factors. Using data from a nationally representative sample of American youth, the authors conducted a series of analyses to assess whether genetic risk factors, measured by three dopamine polymorphisms (DAT1, DRD2, and DRD4) confound the association between paternal incarceration and child's arrest and incarceration. Results suggest that genetic risk may confound the relationship between father's incarceration and child's arrest but not incarceration. These findings are discussed relative to theoretical development and existing empirical evidence. Directions for future research in this vein are also presented. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.