Exploring Social Determinants of Cognitive Functioning: History of Criminal Legal System Involvement and Processing Speed Among Older Black Americans

Abstract

Cognitive impairment disproportionately impacts Black Americans in later life. Black Americans are also disproportionately in contact with the criminal legal system (CLS; e.g., arrest, incarceration). Emerging research indicates that CLS involvement has negative implications for health over the lifespan, including later-life cognitive functioning. This study characterized CLS experiences and related social determinants of health among a nationally representative, community-dwelling sample of Black Americans aged > 50 years from the National Survey of American Life (N = 1,561, mean age: 62.4 years, 56.5 percent female). Linear regression, accounting for the complex survey design, was used to investigate the links between CLS experiences and processing speed, one aspect of cognition. Nearly 30 percent of respondents had a history of arrest, and 12.6 percent had a history of incarceration; childhood poverty and trauma were associated with incarceration history. History of arrest (β: −2.75, 95 percent confidence interval (CI): −5.35, −0.14), but not incarceration (β: −2.54, 95 percent CI: −6.80, 1.72), was significantly associated with slower processing speed after accounting for demographic characteristics. Findings suggest that contact with the CLS contributes to cognitive health for Black Americans.