Understanding Intergenerational Transmission of Recidivism Risk Among Justice-Involved Youth: Testing for Mediation via Dual Systems Model Processes

Research has indicated that criminality may be transmitted from parent to offspring. However, there remains limited research examining risk for offspring recidivism in this regard and mechanisms underpinning this relationship. The present study examined dual systems imbalance as a potential mediator using the first three waves of the Pathways to Desistance data. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to test for direct and indirect effects of interest. Results indicated that parent criminal history predicted both increased recidivism risk and re-offending frequency. Dual systems imbalance significantly mediated the relationship between parent criminal history and recidivism risk, but this was not observed for the re-offending frequency outcome.