The Downstream Well-Being Effect of Encounters with the U.S. Criminal Justice System

This study examines the relationship between encounters with the criminal justice system and psychological well-being in a large U.S. sample. This project builds upon previous research about the negative outcomes tied to such encounters by examining potential long term negative effects on people’s s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social justice research Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 446 - 465
Main Authors: Sanders, Christopher A., King, Laura A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2025
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Adolescence
Anthropology
Anxiety
Arrests
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Child development
Convictions
Crime
Criminal justice
Criminal justice system
Criminal sentences
Demography
Emotions
Imprisonment
Judicial system
Life
Meaning
Mental depression
Personality and Social Psychology
Philosophy
Political Science
Prisons
Protective factors
Psychological trauma
Psychological well being
Psychology
Purpose in life
Race
Sense of purpose
Social Policy
Sociology
Subjectivity
Suicides & suicide attempts
Trauma
Well being
Young adults
United States > US
Police arrests
Meaning and purpose in life
Well-being
Criminal justice
ISSN:0885-7466, 1573-6725
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This study examines the relationship between encounters with the criminal justice system and psychological well-being in a large U.S. sample. This project builds upon previous research about the negative outcomes tied to such encounters by examining potential long term negative effects on people’s subjective well-being and sense of meaning and purpose in life. Panel study participants indicated their lifetime exposure to the criminal justice system, and then, about two years later, indicated their current subjective well-being and sense of meaning and purpose in life. Our findings reveal that the number of past police arrests is associated with reductions in well-being, with the first arrest showing the strongest effect. When controlling for number of previous arrests, no other aspect of exposure to the criminal justice system (e.g., the presence of a criminal conviction, amount of time spent detained) was significantly related to well-being. Race and gender predict encounters with the criminal justice system, but the relation to well-being remains consistent across demographics. Given the importance of meaning and life purpose as a protective factor against trauma and stress, it is vital to understand how first encounters with the criminal justice system, in particular, are related to people’s sense of purpose and meaning.
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ISSN:0885-7466
1573-6725
DOI:10.1007/s11211-025-00465-1