Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/97419460010
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between low self-control and incarceration risk with and without demographic factors such as race, sex, and socioeconomic status. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (AddHealth), the goal was to determine whether structural inequalities amplify the effects proposed by Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of Crime. Prior research suggests that structural disadvantage may amplify individual risk factors by increasing exposure to surveillance and due to resource limitations. However, relatively few studies have explored the intersectionality of low self-control as an individual-level trait and structural disadvantages such as socioeconomic status to influence incarceration risk. Consistent with this, multivariate analysis indicated that male status and Native American identity are the strongest predictors of incarceration risk. These findings highlight the necessity of balancing individual-level interventions with systemic policy shifts to create more effective criminal justice reform.
Myeisha Patnaik
Myeisha is a current sophomore, class of 2028, at Wesleyan University, and she is double-majoring in Government and Mathematics. She enjoys listening to and playing music, photography, weightlifting, and hiking.