COMPARISON OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG PRESENTENCE CLASSIFICATIONS AS TO THE TYPE OF OFFENSE COMMITTED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE, AND BACKGROUND OF THE OFFENDER AND RESULTS OF RECOMMENDED TREATMENT PROGRAMS

• NCJ Number: 60076
• Author(s): P A HOLM; R A ERICKSON
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: TWO ANALYSES

Annotation

A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN RISK TO THE COMMUNITY BETWEEN OFFENDERS WHEN ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRIME AND WHEN DRUGS WERE INVOLVED IN THE CRIME.

Abstract

LOCATED IN KING COUNTY, WASH., THE COMMUNITY-BASED DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AN ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC PRESENTENCE REPORT TO THE SUPERIOR COURT ON ADULTS CONVICTED OF FELONY OFFENSES. DATA WERE OBTAINED ON 1,628 OFFENDERS WHO WERE EVALUATED BY THE PRESENTENCE UNIT DURING A 15-MONTH PERIOD, FROM NOVEMBER 1973 TO FEBRUARY 1975. BOTH BACKGROUND AND FOLLOWUP DATA WERE OBTAINED. FOUR OFFENDER GROUPS WERE COMPARED. REPORTED CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AND/OR CONSUMPTION OR POSSESSION OF DRUGS BY THE OFFENDER WERE USED TO ESTABLISH THE GROUPS. THE OBJECT OF THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN GROUPS WAS TO ESTABLISH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEVERITY OF THE CRIME, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRIME, AND THE BACKGROUND OF THE OFFENDER. FINDINGS SHOW THAT THERE ARE OBVIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO VARIABLES, EMPLOYMENT AND PREVIOUS FELONY ARRESTS, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE SIGNIFICANT. FOR EXAMPLE, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITTED MURDER WAS EIGHT TIMES AS LIKELY TO HAVE CONSUMED ALCOHOL THAN TO HAVE CONSUMED OR HAVE BEEN IN THE POSSESSION OF ANOTHER DRUG. THE OFFENSE DATA SHOWS THAT THE ALCOHOL-ONLY GROUP IS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT ALL TYPES OF CRIMES WITH THE EXPECTED EXCEPTION OF DRUG CRIMES. THE ALCOHOL-ONLY GROUP ALSO IS MORE LIKELY TO PERFORM A SERIOUS CRIME AND TO USE A WEAPON OR FORCE. THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL GROUP MEMBER IS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT MORE ROBBERIES. THE FINAL GROUP, NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, IS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SEX CRIMES AND OTHER CRIMES WHICH MIGHT BE LABELED 'THINKING CRIMES,' SUCH AS GRAND LARCENY, BURGLARY, AND FORGERY. RESULTS OF FOLLOWUP DATA INDICATE THE OFFENDERS COMPLETING AN ASSIGNED PROGRAM HAD THE HIGHEST SUCCESS RATE, BUT FURTHER STUDY IS NEEDED TO CONCLUDE THAT SUCCESS WAS DUE TO THE PROGRAM ITSELF. TABULAR DATA, A CHART, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)