Thesis
Age of arrest and future offending: long-term rearrest outcomes among youth first arrested in schools
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Sep 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001842
Abstract
Age at first arrest is an often-cited predictor of future offending behavior. Given recent criminalization of normative adolescent school behavior and the increased presence of police and other law enforcement personnel in schools, youth may now experience their first arrest at school and at a younger age-raising questions about whether the established relationship between age at arrest and future offending exists for youth first arrested in schools. Therefore, this study examined data from 671 students first arrested in Philadelphia schools in the 2013-2014 academic year to determine whether younger age at first arrest was related to higher likelihood of rearrest and/or a greater number of rearrests over a 5-year period, while controlling for gender, race, and offense type. I conducted binary logistic and Poisson regression analyses to investigate these relationships. Consistent with hypotheses, youth first arrested at younger ages were more likely to be subsequently arrested and were arrested more often within a 5-year follow-up period. Observed results reiterate age at first arrest as a potential risk factor for future legal system involvement-including when such arrests occur at school-and underscore the potential benefit of responding to youth misbehavior with rehabilitative interventions rather than punitive ones- thus minimizing harmful and prolonged contact with the legal system and potentially reducing detrimental labeling effects that can perpetuate misbehavior.
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Details
- Title
- Age of arrest and future offending
- Creators
- Lena DeYoung
- Contributors
- Naomi E. Goldstein (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 40 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021229614104721