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SOME PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO HEROIN ADDICT CRIMINALITY

NCJ Number
55958
Author(s)
D N BRANDON
Date Published
1978
Length
154 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES INFLUENCING THE SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AMONG 153 MALE HEROIN ADDICTS ENTERING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
SELF-REPORT DATA ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES WERE GATHERED FROM SUBJECTS ENTERING TWO CENTRAL INTAKE UNITS SERVING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. THE PERIOD OF CRIMINALITY STUDIED WAS THE 6 MONTHS PRECEDING ENTRY INTO DRUG TREATMENT. PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES INCLUDED ANOMIE (A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION, DESPAIR, OR GENERALIZED STRAIN STEMMING FROM ONE'S PLACEMENT IN SOCIETY), DISVALUED STATUS (THE PERCEPTION THAT ONE IS LOOKED DOWN UPON BY SOCIETY), VALUE ORIENTATION (GENERALLY HELD ATTITUDES ABOUT PEOPLE AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS), ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION, ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, TOLERANCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, AND MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, THE SERIOUSNESS OF SELF-REPORTED CRIMES WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ANOMIE, VALUE ORIENTATION, ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION, TOLERANCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, OR DISVALUED STATUS. SIGNIFICANT AND DIRECT ASSOCIATIONS WERE FOUND BETWEEN SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATION WITH CRIMINAL OTHERS (BOTH DRUG USERS AND NONUSERS), STRAINED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, ADDICTS' REPORTS OF HAVING BEEN QUESTIONED BY POLICE FOR NO CAUSE, AND MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT, ALTHOUGH THE ADDICT MAY BE PREDISPOSED TO AND INFLUENCED BY PRESSURES LEADING TO DESPAIR, FEELINGS OF BEING DISVALUED, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, A MORE SERIOUS INFLUENCE ON CRIMINALITY IS THE INABILITY TO DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROSOCIAL PEOPLE. THE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS SHOULD ATTEMPT TO STRENGTHEN ADDICTS' POSITIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND ENCOURAGE THEIR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SEPARATION FROM INFLUENTIAL CRIMINAL OTHERS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A COPY OF THE STUDY INSTRUMENT ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)

Sale Source
UMI Dissertation Services
Address

300 North Zeeb Road, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, United States

Publication Type
Thesis/Dissertation
Language
English
Country
United States of America
Note
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION