Exploring Social Determinants of Cognitive Functioning: History of Criminal Legal System Involvement and Processing...

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% 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% of respondents had a history of arrest and 12.6% had a history of incarceration; childhood poverty and trauma were associated with incarceration history. History of arrest (β: -2.75, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -5.35, -0.14), but not incarceration (β: -2.54, 95% 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.