Prevalence and risk factors of mental health and substance use problems among Asian American offenders: a nationally representative study

This study aims to examine the prevalence of behavioral health problems among Asian American offenders and identify potential risk factors. Findings suggest that Asian American offenders scored higher in psychological distress than Hispanic offenders. They had lower rates of alcohol and drug dependence than white offenders but a higher rate of drug dependence than black and Hispanic offenders. Regression analyses suggest that parental incarceration was associated with higher levels of psychological distress and higher odds of alcohol dependence. Moreover, psychological distress was related to higher odds of alcohol dependence, and drug-related incarceration was associated with higher odds of drug dependence.