Impact of Criminal Justice Involvement on Maternal Health and Infant Outcomes

Funded By

The Problem

In 2022, the overall maternal mortality rate in the United States was 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, for Black women, the rate was more than double the national average at 49.5. Texas has seen an overall increase in maternal mortality across the board between 2019 and 2022, with Black women experiencing the highest rate at 43.6 and white women experiencing the second highest rate at 39.1. Most of these deaths were found to be preventable by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Pregnant woman holding her belly

Addressing the Problem of Maternal Mortality

In the face of this crisis, we are examining how various societal and environmental factors may contribute to differences in maternal and infant health outcomes across demographic groups in Houston. With this understanding, we aim to provide actionable recommendations to improve health outcomes in Houston and beyond.

Objective

To examine how various societal and environmental factors may contribute to differences in maternal and infant health outcomes across demographic groups.

Primary Metrics of Structural Racism

DomainMetric
Criminal justice System InteractionsIncarceration Rates

  • Jail Incarceration Disparity Ratio

  • Prison Incarceration Disparity Ratio Violent Crime Arrest

  • Violent Crime Disparity Ratio
Environmental QualityPollution Exposure Levels

  • Composite Index capturing exposures to pollution sources
Economic ConditionsIncome Distribution Patterns

  • The difference between the numbers of non-Hispanic white individuals in highest income bracket and the number of persons of color in the lowest income bracket, divided by the total population size
Housing AccessMortgage Lending Practices

  • The odds of a home mortgage application being denied for the persons of color compared with non-Hispanic white Individuals
Food AvailabilityAccess to Grocery Stores

  • Indicator for census tracts where a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33 percent) of the population is greater than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store
A silhouette of a pregnant woman standing in front of a window

What We Are Measuring

In this study, we are examining five key factors:
  1. Criminal justice system interactions : measured by disparity rates in jail and prison incarceration, particularly for violent offenses, and disparities in violent crime rates
  2. Environment quality : measured using a composite index capturing levels of exposure to pollution sources
  3. Economic conditions : measured by income distribution patterns
  4. Housing(specific to mortgage lending practices) : measured using the odds of a home mortgage application being denied for persons of color compared to non-Hispanic white individuals access
  5. Food availability(access to grocery stores) : measured by flagging census tracts where a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33 percent) of the population is greater than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store
A silhouette of a pregnant woman standing in front of a window

Specific Aims

  1. Evaluate how key societal factors may relate to maternal and infant health outcomes across different demographic groups.
  2. Assess potential cumulative effects of multiple societal and environmental factors on maternal and infant health.
  3. Apply data analysis methods to identify key drivers of maternal and infant outcomes among different demographic groups in Houston.
Funding Supported by National Institutes of Health Grant # – R01123456

collaborators

Project Manager

Jennier Wyatt Bourgeois, Ph.D.

JENNIFER BOURGEOIS

Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois is a Center for Justice Research Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research interests include risk and resilient factors associated with children and youth impacted by family and/or parental incarceration, the intersection of race, class, and gender within the criminal justice system, criminal justice program evaluation, and the intersection of criminal justice and forensic science.

View Team Member