NCJ Number
78415
Date Published
1980
Length
170 pages
Annotation
This dissertation examines the criminality of female heroin users based on interviews with 153 females in Miami who were using heroin at the time of the study. Of particular concern are the nature and extent of criminality among these subjects and the temporal sequence of drug use and crime among them.
Abstract
Slightly over half of the women studied were white, most were under age 30, and almost half had never married. The self-report data were analyzed using simple and complex descriptive statistics, including medians, means, and correlational statistics based on contingency table analysis. The study found that a high proportion of the users supported themselves in part through illegal activities. Almost all the women reported committing at least one criminal act, and a high proportion had been arrested. Arrests most often involved prostitution, property crimes, or drug crimes. In addition, alcohol use generally occurred first, followed by drug use, crime, arrest, and heroin use. Most of these users who were involved in prostitution were also involved in other crimes; only 15 percent of the sample reported only being arrested for prostitution. The findings are also controlled for ethnicity. About 60 references and the interview schedule are appended. Data tables are included. (Author abstract modified)