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Emerging adulthood -ages 18-25 - is marked by significant transitions and increased risk of problematic substance use and the emergence of mental illness. Emerging adults who are involved in the criminal legal system face additional challenges that can exacerbate these risks. Prior research suggests social networks (SN) can play a major role in individuals’ ability to navigate challenging circumstances, yet studies on their SNs are lacking for emerging adults during reentry. This study explores the makeup and functions of the SN of emerging adults with criminal legal involvement. Research questions include: 1) What is the size, makeup, and key characteristics of emerging adults with criminal legal involvement SN? 2) To what degree do they receive informal support from their SN? 3) To what extent are SN characteristics related to substance use? 4) To what extent are SN characteristics related to seeking mental health treatment?
Methods:
Eighty-six participants from an urban setting– 92% of persons of color, 75% male, with an average age of 22 - answered survey questions related to the characteristics of their SN (e.g., if they drink, have a history of incarceration), their perception of the relationships, and the types of support received from their SN. Participants also reported on their mental health and substance use. Research questions one and two were examined through descriptive statistics. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Spearman correlations were utilized to address questions three and four.
Results:
On average, SNs consisted of 5-6 people, with 53% of SN members being family, 41% friends, and 6% other individuals. Individuals within SNs were largely perceived as positive influences who could be asked for support or advice. Over half of the people within participants’ SNs drank alcohol. Just over one-third of SN members used substances and or had a history of incarceration. Emotional support was the most common type of support received (79.1 %), followed by financial (67.5%), housing (48.2%), and transportation (42.2%). Having a higher proportion of one’s SN that drank was related to individual alcohol misuse (rs = .30, p ≤ .01) and marijuana misuse (rs = .27, p ≤ .001). Individuals with MI had a larger proportion of their SN that used substances (p = .012). While approaching significance, SN characteristics were not associated with help-seeking behaviors.
Conclusion:
Many participants reported receiving support from members of their SN and viewed these individuals as a positive influence. It was also common for SNs to contain individuals who engaged in drinking and substance use. Future research is needed to develop and examine strategies that identify potential risk factors within emerging adults - involved in the criminal legal system - SNs while also acknowledging the support they provide. Labeling SNs as positive or negative is over-simplistic, does not consider how the person evaluates their SN, and likely limits practitioners' abilities to develop treatment plans their clients will fully embrace. Practitioners, researchers, and policymakers can develop more appropriate interventions and policies by better understanding the interplay between emerging adults with criminal legal involvement and their SNs.