NCJ Number
234845
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 39 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2011 Pages: 224-231
Date Published
June 2011
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined and compared the behaviors and characteristics of young offenders who sold drugs with those of youthful offenders who did not sell drugs.
Abstract
Highlights from the study include: 70 percent of the youthful offenders in the sample were involved in drug selling or actually sold drugs; 54 percent of those who sold drugs did so for more than 1 year, while 64 percent of those who sold drugs did so on a daily basis; almost 69 percent of those who sold drugs kept more than half of what they purchased; and those offenders who reported selling prescription drugs also reported a higher rate of substance use. This study examined and compared the behaviors and characteristics of young offenders who sold drugs with those of youthful offenders who did not sell drugs. Data for the study were obtained from a diverse sample of 227 youthful offenders, both male and female, at 2 juvenile residential facilities in Western Pennsylvania. The youths were committed to the facilities for a broad range of offenses. The study found that youthful offenders who sold drugs were not motivated primarily for economic reasons, but that their drug dealing was also connected to patterns of substance use. The study also found that the degree to which youthful offenders who sold drugs engaged in substance use and risky and delinquent behaviors varied by the type of drugs that they sold. These findings indicate that interventions for youthful offenders who sell drugs need to be instituted at multiple levels, and that these youth have patterns of substance use and delinquent behavior that are significantly different from offenders who do not sell drugs. Implications for future research are discussed. Tables and references