Association between housing stability, family contact and likelihood of recidivism in a Latina/o drug using criminal justice sample

Objective: Recidivism is associated with numerous negative outcomes, including increased risk of STDs including HIV. Factors need to be identified that reduce recidivism. This paper describes the association between housing status and maternal contact with the likelihood of recidivism into the criminal justice system among Latina/o illicit drug users.

Methods: A sample of 283 Latina/o women and men, all illicit drug users, adults (M = 38.1 years) were surveyed in Massachusetts between 2003 and 2007. All respondents reported a history of imprisonment. Controlling for demographic characteristics, drug use, employment, mental health status and education, logistic regression analyses were used to test the association between housing status and maternal contact with recent recidivism.

Findings: The logistic regression analysis indicated that only housing status and having had contact with one's mother were significantly associated with recidivism in the prior six months. Respondents living in their own residence were 63% less likely to have reentered jail. In addition, respondents who did not have contact with their mothers during the past 3 months were twice as likely to have reentered the criminal justice system.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the influence of stable housing and familial social support in reducing recidivism among re-entry populations. Public health social workers are the primary professionals involved in connecting these individuals to services and to their families. Improved public health social work interventions are needed to increase access to stable housing and promote social support connections for reentry populations in order to reduce recidivism and associated negative health outcomes.