NCJ Number
224166
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: August-September 2008 Pages: 285-297
Date Published
August 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article examines previous literature on methamphetamine (MA)use and violence.
Abstract
Two conclusions were found from the review of literature conducted that mirrored other research conducted over the past 35 years. First, MA use is a large problem worldwide, and secondly, the understanding of the relationship between MA use and violence remains ambiguous and appears to be largely indirect and correlational. It is noted that methamphetamine, a psychostimulant drug, was first produced in Germany and Japan in the late 1800s, and that MA use and trafficking have been a problem in the United States since the 1970s according to the National Drug Intelligence Center’s (NDIC) National Drug Threat Assessment from 2006, increasing in recent years. MA is associated with violent behavior yet the nature of this relation remains poorly understood, largely due to methodological shortcomings. This paper sought to critically examine the empirical literature on MA use and its relation to violence. Background is provided on the history and use, manufacture, and public policy on MA use; the consequences of MA use; and substance use and violence in general. The authors provide a description of review criteria, including those for human studies and nonhuman animal studies; critiques of studies; and detail on both observational and experimental laboratory studies. Methodological issues and challenges are also discussed, along with the current state of literature, assessment of drug use, and suggestions for future research. Table, references