Does Parental Incarceration Condition the Relationship Between Childhood Lack of Guilt and Criminal Justice Involvement? A Life-Course Analysis

Abstract

Prior research suggests that childhood lack of guilt increases risk for involvement in the criminal justice system later in life. However, few studies have explored the role of moderating factors on this association across the life course, particularly parental incarceration during adolescence, which is commonly associated with child contact with the criminal justice system. The current study analyzes self-report data from a population-based sample of U.S. youth (N = 6,581) to examine whether and to what extent parental incarceration between ages 10 and 17 moderate the association between child lack of guilt between ages 8 and 9 and incarceration from ages 18 to 32. Results from a series path models reveal that childhood lack of guilt is positively associated with adult incarceration. Parental incarceration is also associated with child incarceration, but does not moderate the direct pathway from childhood lack of guilt to incarceration. Early life lack of guilt or empathy appears to be a robust and unique independent risk factor for future criminal justice involvement. Prevention efforts should focus on identifying and treating this form of problematic behavior early in childhood.