Childhood trauma as a predictor of reoffending in a Northern Irish probation sample

Dalsklev, Madeleine; Cunningham, Twylla; Travers, Áine; McDonagh, Tracey; Shannon, Ciarán; Downes, Ciara; Hanna, Donncha

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104168

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Studies consistently find disproportionately high rates of trauma exposure (e.g., Dalsklev et al, 2019; Wolff & Shi, 2012) and PTSD (Baranyi et al, 2018) in offender samples, and prospective research indicates a predictive effect of early trauma on general and violent offending (Maxfield & Widom, 1996; Widom, 1989). Recently, in a study of PTSD and domestic violence specifically, Miles-McLean and colleagues (2019) showed that a diagnosis of PTSD was predictive of general recidivistic violence posttreatment and of poorer intervention compliance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Travers

McDonagh

Cunningham³

et al. 2020

J Interpers Violence

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Domestic violence is more common in post-conflict settings such as Northern Ireland. However, the extent to which trauma and related mental health problems are associated with domestic violence perpetration in the region has not yet been quantitatively assessed. The present study examines relationships between multiple traumas, mental health problems, and five indicators of domestic violence perpetration severity (causing injury, use of a weapon, breach of nonmolestation order, sexual violence, and previous police involvement). The unique risk associated with distinct types of trauma (i.e., childhood maltreatment or conflict related) was also investigated. Perpetrators’ case file data ( n = 405) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression. The rates of recorded trauma exposure and mental health difficulties were 72.3% and 63.5%, respectively. The first logistic regression analyses showed that exposure to multiple traumas was associated with increased likelihood of perpetrating injurious and sexual violence, when controlling for the covariates (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.24–1.28). The second logistic regression analyses showed that childhood maltreatment was the only trauma type to confer unique risk, a relationship that was significant only for the outcome of perpetrating injurious violence (OR = 3.06). Substance misuse was also significantly associated with perpetration of injurious violence, use of weapons, and having past police involvement (ORs = 2.49–3.50). The accumulation of traumatic experiences and substance abuse appear to act as risk factors for some indicators of offending severity. Childhood maltreatment appears to confer particularly strong risk. The findings may support a focus on trauma and substance abuse as intervention targets in post-conflict settings.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Travers

McDonagh

Cunningham³

et al. 2020

J Interpers Violence

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Childhood trauma refers to neglect or abuse from family members or caregivers (Sohn, 2017). Childhood abuse experiences are common phenomena observed in repeat offenders (Courtney & Maschi, 2013;Harlow, 1999; J. S. Levenson et al, 2016;Maschi et al, 2011), and are also more common in repeat offenders than first-time offenders (Dalsklev et al, 2019;Zhang & Zheng, 2018). Many previous studies have substantiated this finding with results showing that a childhood experience of abuse is an important risk factor for recidivism in criminals (Grella et al, 2005;Kerig & Becker, 2015;Teague et al, 2008;Topitzes et al, 2011).…”

Section: Childhood Trauma and Recidivismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Childhood Trauma on Former Prisoners’ Attributional Style and Recidivism in Three Years

Jung

Lee

2021

Collabra: Psychology

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This study aimed to verify the mediating effects of attribution style, both external and internal, in the relationship between childhood trauma and former prisoners’ recidivism. In 2017, recidivism data on 235 former prisoners who had received Korea Rehabilitation Agency (KRA)’s housing support service in 2014, and had responded to the childhood traumatic questionnaire and surveys on external and internal attributions, were retrieved from the KRA. The analysis revealed that greater childhood trauma was correlated both with higher external and lower internal attribution. Although the relationship between high childhood trauma and recidivism was significant, no significant relationship appeared between internal/external attribution and recidivism. Further, the analysis did not confirm the mediating effect of attribution on the relationship between childhood trauma and recidivism. This indicates that traumatic experiences during childhood increase former prisoners’ external attribution, lower internal attribution, and lead to a higher probability of recidivism. These results demonstrate that interventions on childhood trauma may be effective in lowering recidivism because childhood trauma plays a key role in the former prisoners’ reoffending and attributions that may influence the interpretation of their criminal behavior.

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“…212 Research in Northern Ireland has shown disproportionately high rates of trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder in both the general public and offender samples, demonstrating another enduring legacy of a history of conflict. 213 Recent studies have revealed connections between conflict-related trauma exposure and increased odds of general and violent reoffending in a sample of offenders. 214 Domestic abuse offenders have a higher prevalence of trauma than the general population, with exposure to conflict-related trauma appearing particularly high.…”

Section: Contextualising Domestic Abusementioning

confidence: 99%

‘A leap forward’? Critiquing the criminalisation of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland

Killean

2020

NILQ

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Following in the footsteps of other jurisdictions across the UK and Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland is currently taking steps to criminalise ‘domestic abuse’. The proposed offence is strongly influenced by research into ‘coercive control’, a framing popularised by Evan Stark that captures both physical and nonphysical forms of abuse. In this article, I introduce the Northern Ireland Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill, before analysing its likely impacts on victim-survivors. To do so, I draw from three key critiques of criminalisation that have emerged from both reformist and anti-carceral feminist scholarship: first, that implementation will pose practical challenges; second, that criminalisation will result in a range of unintended harms; and, third, that criminalisation alone is an ineffective response to domestic abuse. In light of these critiques, I argue for a more holistic response, which considers the underlying social structures and dynamics that contextualise the phenomenon of domestic abuse.

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Childhood trauma as a predictor of reoffending in a Northern Irish probation sample

Cited by 14 publications

References 38 publications

Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Influence of Childhood Trauma on Former Prisoners’ Attributional Style and Recidivism in Three Years

‘A leap forward’? Critiquing the criminalisation of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland

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