NCJ Number
14305
Date Published
1973
Length
45 pages
Annotation
A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO GROUPS OF JUVENILES, ONE WHICH HAD NO PREVIOUS ARRESTS AND ONE WHICH HAD A RECORD, PRIOR TO A DRUG ARREST IN 1966.
Abstract
THE BASIC FACT THAT MUST BE RECKONED WITH IN DRAWING INFERENCES FROM THE STUDY MATERIAL IS THAT OVER HALF OF THE SUBJECTS HAD RECORDS OF NON-DRUG CRIMINALITY AT THE TIME OF THEIR FIRST ARREST ON DRUG CHARGES. THIS FACT, PLUS THE OBSERVATION THAT IN MOST RESPECTS THE GROUP WITHOUT PREVIOUS ARRESTS WERE DEVELOPING ALONG THE SAME LINES AS THE CAMPANION GROUP CONDUCES TO THE BELIEF THAT THE BASIC ORIENTATION OF ALL OF THE OFFENDERS IS TOWARD A CRIMINAL LIFE IN GENERAL, WITH DRUGS AS AN INCIDENTAL ACTIVITY. THE ALTERNATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF DRUGS APPARENTLY BEGINS WITH DANGEROUS DRUGS. PURELY AS A MATTER OF SPECULATION, IT IS PROBABLE THAT IF DATA WERE AVAILABLE IT WOULD SHOW THAT THE PRE-ARREST CAREERS OF THE STUDY SUBJECTS INCLUDED GLUE SNIFFING AND OTHER FORMS OF DELINQUENCY. AT ANY RATE, THE INITIAL DANGEROUS DRUG PHASE GIVES WAY TO INVOLVEMENT WITH MARIJUANA. THE FIVE YEAR STUDY SPAN TYPICALLY INCLUDES A NEAR-TERMINAL TURN TO OPIATES AND DANGEROUS DRUGS. SINCE BARBITURATES IN THE DANGEROUS DRUG CATEGORY AND OPIATES ARE ADDICTIVE, THIS USE TRANSFER MAY BE FINAL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)