Peer-reviewed article

Childhood abuse, adolescent legal cynicism, and early adult criminal justice involvement: A five-wave longitudinal analysis of timing, typology, and cumulative exposure.

Shi J, Jiang C, Shi D · 25 Jun 2026

Abstract

Background Childhood abuse has been identified as a significant risk factor for criminal justice involvement in early adulthood. However, limited research has examined how the timing, typology, and cumulative exposure to childhood abuse are associated with this outcome. In addition, the relationship between childhood abuse and adolescent legal cynicism remains insufficiently understood. Objective This study examined the associations of timing, typological, and cumulative dimensions of childhood abuse with adolescent legal cynicism and criminal justice involvement in early adulthood, and further tested the mediating role of legal cynicism. Participants and setting Data were drawn from 1929 participants in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which conducted five waves of assessments in childhood (ages 3, 5, and 9), adolescence (age 15), and early adulthood (age 22). Methods Logistic and linear regression models with bootstrap procedures were employed. Results Physical abuse at ages 5 (OR = 1.162, 95% CI = 1.005-1.343) and 9 (OR = 1.189, 95% CI = 1.039-1.360), as well as emotional abuse at ages 5 (OR = 1.182, 95% CI = 1.023-1.367) and 9 (OR = 1.199, 95% CI = 1.051-1.367), were significantly and positively associated with criminal justice involvement in early adulthood. In contrast, emotional abuse at age 3 was not significantly associated with this outcome (OR = 1.145, 95% CI = 0.991-1.324). Overall abuse at ages 3, 5, and 9 (ORs ranged from 1.201 to 1.239, all 95% CIs excluded 1), as well as cumulative abuse across these developmental periods (ORs ranged from 1.204 to 1.254, all 95% CIs excluded 1), were positively associated with criminal justice involvement. In addition, all three dimensions of childhood abuse were significantly and positively associated with adolescent legal cynicism (Bs ranged from 0.057 to 0.107, all p < 0.05), which in turn mediated the associations between childhood abuse and criminal justice involvement (indirect effects ranged from 0.017 to 0.029, with 95% CIs excluding 0). Conclusions Childhood abuse demonstrates temporal sensitivity, typological specificity, and cumulative associations with criminal justice involvement in early adulthood, whereas its associations with adolescent legal cynicism appear relatively stable across developmental dimensions. These findings highlight the importance of integrating child protection strategies into criminal justice interventions while accounting for the multidimensional nature of childhood abuse.