Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Childhood Abuse on Recidivism and the Potential of Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Priya Bakshi
09/02/2026
Child abuse is a deeply consequential issue, with one in seven children in the United States affected each year. These experiences often have long-term consequences, and one especially concerning outcome is an increased risk of criminal behavior and recidivism later in life. Although interventions like therapy and legal measures exist, many victims still reoffend, suggesting major gaps in the current justice system’s understanding of trauma as well as its impact. This project explores the link between childhood abuse and recidivism through using secondary research and a meta-analysis of three scholarly articles. The project examines childhood trauma through multiple analytical lenses: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a tool for reshaping criminal thought patterns, broad statistical relationships between early abuse and reoffending, and the influence of gender and specific forms of maltreatment on recidivism. Through integrating these perspectives, the project argues that trauma from early abuse can significantly distort cognitive development and heighten criminogenic risk, often in ways that traditional assessment models overlook. This project has revealed that neglect and physical abuse, in particular, are associated with higher offending rates, especially in males, while sexual abuse has more inconsistent effects. Importantly, CBT appears most effective when personalized to the individual’s trauma history. This research points to the need for more trauma-informed and flexible interventions, as well as assessment tools that acknowledge how early abuse shapes later behavior. Without such changes, many young offenders may continue to fall through the cracks of a system not designed with their psychological realities in mind.