Recidivists Not Higher in Criminal Social Identity Than First-timers When Controlling for Family and Friends’ Criminal Records

Criminal social identity (CSI) is a critical psychological construct linked to increased recidivism risk and difficulties in social reintegration. This study investigated the relative contributions of personal prior criminal history and criminal histories of close social contacts within a collectivist cultural context, using a sample of 1,014 incarcerated individuals from three China’s cities. Results supported the Social Exposure Hypothesis: having family members or friends with criminal histories – used as an indicator of social exposure – significantly predicted higher CSI levels (B = 0.41, β = 0.19, 95% CI [0.27, 0.56], p < .001), while personal criminal history did not significantly predict CSI after controlling for social exposure (B = 0.10, β = 0.05, 95% CI [−0.03, 0.23], p = .13). The average CSI score was 1.84 (SE = 0.79) on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating generally low CSI levels among Chinese incarcerated individuals, with cognitive centrality scoring higher than in-group ties and affect. Younger and less-educated incarcerated individuals exhibited higher CSI levels. Practically, these findings suggest a reconsideration of assumptions about the role of personal criminal history in shaping CSI, emphasizing interventions addressing social stigma, cognitive identity transformation, and family- and community-based strategies.