NCJ Number
133076
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (1991) Pages: 121-177
Date Published
1991
Length
57 pages
Annotation
Results from an ongoing prospective study of a cohort of 399 youths who entered a Tampa, Florida, detention center between December 1986 and April 1987 are used to discuss the relationship between the youths' alcohol or other drug use, physical abuse or sexual victimization history, or emotional and psychological difficulties at the time of entry into secure detention, and subsequent recidivism.
Abstract
The overall finding indicated that, although there were statistically significant relationships between the predictor variables and the different offense categories, in general, the magnitude of these relationships were low to moderate in value. Black youths were more likely to commit subsequent violent crimes and drug offenses than white juveniles. There was a significant relationship between youths' test results for recent cocaine use and their subsequent referrals and arrests for property felonies and misdemeanors. The data indicated that few youths received serious treatment intervention during the follow-up period, despite research proving that criminal behavior increases following addiction, and that arrests for drug and property offenses decline with decreasing frequency of drug use. 12 tables, 72 references, and 1 appendix