NCJ Number
66592
Date Published
1979
Length
160 pages
Annotation
AN AGENDA FOR RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DRUG ABUSE AND CRIME PREPARED BY THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
EARLY STAGES OF THE DESIGN PROJECT INVOLVED REVIEWING LITERATURE, CONVENING A PROJECT ADVISORY BOARD, ARRANGING AVAILABLE MATERIALS ACCORDING TO MAJOR ISSUE AREAS, AND SELECTING THE LIFE CYCLE AND PATTERNS OF DRUG ABUSE AS ISSUE AREAS. THE RESULTING REPORT STRESSES THE NEED TO USE A REPRESENTATIVE POPULATION SAMPLE TO AVOID PAST RESEARCH MISTAKES AND TO PERMIT GENERALIZATION. THE IDEAL RESEARCH DESIGN IS A PROSPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL PANEL DESIGN EMPLOYING A RANDOM SAMPLE, BUT THIS OPTION IS IMPRACTICAL BECAUSE OF THE TIME AND EXPENSE INVOLVED AND BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF DATA FOR PREPARATION OF AN ADEQUATE SURVEY INSTRUMENT. BEFORE SUCH A STUDY CAN BE UNDERTAKEN, A SERIES OF SMALLER STUDIES IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE BASELINE INFORMATION. THE MODEL RESEARCH AGENDA BUILDS ON THREE 1 1/2-YEAR ETHNOCENTRIC STUDIES IN SELECT AREAS OF THE U.S. WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY CRITICAL VARIABLES IN DRUG/CRIME RELATIONSHIPS AND DESCRIBE PROCESSES LEADING TO SUCH RELATIONSHIPS. THEN, A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY IN ONE AREA BASED ON INFORMATION FROM ETHNOCENTRIC EFFORTS AND EMPLOYING SCHOOLS AS THE SAMPLING FRAME WOULD SUPPLY INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE INFORMATION ABOUT ADOLESCENT DRUG/CRIME PATTERNS. FINALLY, A PANEL STUDY OF A SELECTED GROUP OF ADOLESCENTS FOR 3 YEARS WOULD DETERMINE ONSET BEHAVIOR FOR DRUG USE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND WOULD ESTABLISH TEMPORAL SEQUENCING AND DYNAMICS OF THE DRUG/CRIME NEXUS. THE FINDINGS OF THE INTERLOCKING STUDIES COULD BE VERIFIED IN OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS. COMPLETION OF THE STUDY SERIES WOULD CLARIFY WHETHER A MAJOR PROSPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL EFFORT IS WARRANTED. FIGURES, TABLES, NOTES AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING DISCUSSIONS OF RESEARCH ISSUES, HYPOTHESES, AND PERTINENT DATA SETS ARE PROVIDED. --IN ENGLISH.