NCJ Number
203400
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 37 Issue: 3/4 Dated: 2003 Pages: 109-121
Date Published
2003
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between criminal violence and type of substance abuse among 184 current and former residents of an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility in Allentown, PA ("Keenan House").
Abstract
Keenan House is a modified therapeutic community with a capacity to serve 85 clients. Eighty-nine percent (n=164) of the sample was referred through the criminal justice system, and the remaining 11 percent were referred by either a physician, a family member, another drug and alcohol abuse care provider, or themselves. For the regression analyses used in the study, the dependent variable was a composite variable calculated from each case's self-reported scores on six measures of violence that occurred during the last 6 months outside of the program. These variables included number of aggravated assaults, number of simple assaults, number of robberies, number of domestic assaults, number of stalking incidents/terroristic threats made, and number of illegal gun carrying/possession incidents. Out of the total amount of crime committed by the subjects, violence accounted for only 13 percent, drug-related crime accounted for 57 percent, and property crime accounted for 23 percent. Neither multiple regression, stepwise regression, nor factor analysis found criminal violence to be predicted by substance abuse, drug-dealing activity, or a collection of demographic variables often theoretically linked to violence (youthfulness; having an early onset of criminal activity; and being male, minority, unmarried, and dually diagnosed). The strongest predictor of violence was the existence of multiple types of criminal behavior. A significant correlation was found between multiple types of criminal behavior and polydrug use. The study suggests this may be due to a general lifestyle of deviance. 4 tables and 12 references