Beyond the Sum: A Network Analysis of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Behavioral Outcomes in Justice-Involved Youth

<p>This dissertation examines gender-specific patterns of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among justice-involved youth using network analysis. Despite experiencing higher rates of childhood adversity, female youth show lower recidivism rates than males, presenting an empirical paradox. Using a sample of 19,454 justice-involved youth (75% male), this study applies novel network methods to understand how ACEs and behavioral outcomes are organized across gender. Findings reveal distinct network architectures: female youth maintain more integrated but vulnerable networks, while males show more compartmentalized but stable structures. Female recidivists demonstrate systematic network destabilization when compared to non-recidivists, characterized by a 39% reduction in network density, while male recidivists show selective reorganization with only 7% reduction in connections. Physical abuse emerged as the most central node in female networks (strength centrality 1.12-1.41), while family violence dominated male networks (strength centrality 1.42-1.47). These findings suggest fundamentally different mechanisms linking childhood adversity to involvement with the juvenile justice system across gender, supporting the need for gender-responsive approaches to juvenile justice intervention. The identification of gender-specific central nodes and network reorganization patterns provides new frameworks for understanding recidivism risk and designing targeted interventions.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Criminal Justice

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Yang, Jennifer

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kevin T. Wolff

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Deborah Koetzle
• Karen Terry
• Adam Fine

• Other Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Adverse childhood experiences
• juvenile justice

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6171

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-7299