How Adverse Childhood Experiences Give Way to the Risk for Recidivism for Justice-Involved Girls in the United States

Abstract

There has been a rapid increase in recidivism — defined as “repeating criminal acts after a first offense” — rates in girls in the United States over the past 2 decades, and it is a widely underlooked topic as opposed to recidivism in boys. This literature review delves into the complex relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in girls and the heightened risk of risk of recidivism and its outcomes. This review focuses on the short- and long-term outcomes of ACEs, the risk factors specific to girls, and the familial protective factors. The result of this literature review highlights a significant positive correlation between ACES and recidivism rates, with many nuances and specificities relating to each type of ACE and observed criminal behavior in girls. The combination of individual factors, such as demographics and environment, are also discussed in the role they play alongside ACEs. Here we also consider how high levels of bias present in the justice system greatly influences recidivism in youth and through adulthood. By shedding light on the risks of recidivism stemming from ACEs in girls, this review will discuss various preventative and restorative measures that can be put in place to help lower this risk rate.