Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Recidivism in Justice-Impacted Youth: Considering Gender Differences and the Mediating Effects of Mental Health

Young persons who have experienced trauma in their childhood are disproportionately represented in the legal system (Malvaso et al., 2022) and are more likely to recidivate compared to their peers without trauma histories (Yannon et al., 2024). This study assessed whether the predictive relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and recidivism in justice-impacted youth was mediated by the presence of mental health diagnoses. The narrative clinical notes of clinicians, used to inform the forensic assessments of youth (N = 321) referred for a court-ordered mental health assessment, were retrospectively coded for mental health diagnoses and trauma histories. Higher ACEs scores did not predict recidivism; however, they did predict a higher number of mental health diagnoses in both girls and boys. This research affirms the need to implement trauma-responsive care which specifically targets the mental health needs of justice-impacted youth.