Volunteering in adolescence and young adulthood crime involvement: a longitudinal analysis from the add health study

Shabbar I Ranapurwala; Carri Casteel; Corinne Peek-Asa

doi:10.1186/s40621-016-0091-6

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Volunteering in adolescence and young adulthood crime involvement: a longitudinal analysis from the add health study

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Volunteering in adolescence and young adulthood crime involvement: a longitudinal analysis from the add health study

Shabbar I Ranapurwala, Carri Casteel and Corinne Peek-Asa

Injury epidemiology, Vol.3(1), 26

11/21/2016

DOI: 10.1186/s40621-016-0091-6

PMCID: PMC5116440

PMID: 27807807

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Abstract

Background: Experiences in adolescence may have a lasting impact on adulthood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between adolescent (12-18 years of age) volunteerism with the incidence of illegal behaviors, arrests, and convictions in adulthood (>18 years of age). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using secondary data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Students from grades 7-12 were recruited in 1994-1995 (n = 20,745), and then followed in 2001-2002 (n = 14,322) and in 2008-2009 (n = 12,288). In 2000-2001, participants were retrospectively asked about their volunteering experience from 12 to 18 years of age. Consequently, participants were divided into non-volunteers, self-volunteers, adult-required volunteers, and court-ordered volunteers. Groups were compared for rates of illegal behaviors, arrest, and convictions in adulthood (>18 years of age) using weighted generalized linear mixed negative binomial models while accounting for sampling design. Results: Relative to non-volunteers, self-volunteers reported 11 % fewer illegal behaviors (RR: 0.89, 95 % CI: 0.80, 0.99), 31 % fewer arrests (RR: 0.69, 95 %: 0.57, 0.85), and 39 % fewer convictions (RR: 0.61, 95 % CI: 0.47, 0.79) by age 18-28 years, and 28 % fewer illegal behaviors, 53 % fewer arrests, and 36 % fewer convictions by age 24-34. In comparison the adult-required volunteers also reported fewer arrests and convictions; however, they reported more illegal behaviors than the non-volunteers. The court-ordered volunteers reported higher rates of criminal involvement than the non-volunteers, throughout. Conclusion: This study suggests that volunteering in adolescence may reduce crime involvement in adulthood.

Adolescents

Volunteering

Convictions

Delinquency

Original Contribution

Crime involvement

Arrests

Details

Title: Subtitle: Volunteering in adolescence and young adulthood crime involvement: a longitudinal analysis from the add health study
Creators: Shabbar I Ranapurwala - Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
Carri Casteel - Injury Prevention Research Center, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA USA
Corinne Peek-Asa - Injury Prevention Research Center, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Injury epidemiology, Vol.3(1), 26
DOI: 10.1186/s40621-016-0091-6
PMID: 27807807
PMCID: PMC5116440
NLM abbreviation: Inj Epidemiol
ISSN: 2197-1714
eISSN: 2197-1714
Publisher: Springer International Publishing; Cham
Grant note: R49 PA-CE001167 / ;
Language: English
Date published: 11/21/2016
Academic Unit: Public Health Administration; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9983997366802771

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