Session: Childhood Adversity, System Involvement, and Transformation across the Life Course Among Individuals Sentenced to Juvenile Life without Parole (Society for Social Work and Research 31st Annual Conference)

Background and Purpose: Individuals sentenced to life without parole for offenses committed during childhood (JLWOP) represent a population shaped by profound early adversity, extensive involvement in public systems, and prolonged exposure to harsh carceral environments. About 40% of this population (N ~2,900) are now released while about 60% remain incarcerated. While prior research has documented high rates of trauma among justice-involved youth, less is known about how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cross-system involvement accumulate and shape mental health and development across the life course, particularly among those serving extreme sentences. This symposium brings together three complementary studies using a unique national dataset to examine: (1) the prevalence and mental health consequences of childhood adversity; (2) the role of involvement across child-serving systems in shaping adult mental health; and (3) processes of growth and transformation during long-term incarceration. Together, these papers advance a life-course and systems-oriented framework for understanding both cumulative risks along with thriving among individuals serving JLWOP.

Methods: All three studies draw on data from the groundbreaking national survey of 430 incarcerated adults across 20 states who were sentenced to JLWOP prior to 2012. Surveys were administered via U.S. mail in collaboration with states’ Departments of Corrections, with an approximate response rate of 50%. The sample was over 95% male with a mean of 25.5 years incarcerated. Quantitative analyses include descriptive statistics, ordinary least squares regression, and logistic regression models examining associations between childhood adversity, system involvement, and mental health outcomes. Measures include adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), involvement in foster care, child protective services, and juvenile detention, as well as indicators of mental health, loneliness, and flourishing. The third study uses a qualitative phenomenological approach to analyze open-ended items from the survey related to growth and transformation.

Results: Findings demonstrate high levels of cumulative childhood adversity and system involvement among individuals serving JLWOP.

Study 1 shows that exposure to adverse childhood experiences is nearly universal and associated with poorer mental health outcomes, particularly increased loneliness, while social support and social connection are strongly associated with greater flourishing and well-being.

Study 2 finds that childhood involvement across multiple public systems, including foster care, child protective services, and juvenile detention, is highly prevalent, and that cumulative, cross-system exposure is associated with significantly greater unmet mental health needs and higher likelihood of psychiatric diagnoses in adulthood.

Study 3 reveals that, despite these adversities, many individuals describe meaningful processes of personal growth and transformation during incarceration, shaped by relationships, spiritual faith, mentorship, education, and experiences of loss.

Conclusion: People serving JLWOP are an extremely vulnerable population representing extreme childhood adversity and a life course shaped by carceral settings. These findings illustrate how adversity and institutional involvement accumulate to shape long-term outcomes while also highlighting the capacity for growth. Implications include cross-system prevention, trauma-informed care, and expanded programming during incarceration. The symposium contributes new evidence to inform social work research, policy, and practice.