SOME PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO HEROIN ADDICT CRIMINALITY

• NCJ Number: 55958
• Author(s): D N BRANDON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 154 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: RUTGERS UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES INFLUENCING THE SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AMONG 153 MALE HEROIN ADDICTS ENTERING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY ARE EXPLORED.

Abstract

SELF-REPORT DATA ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES WERE GATHERED FROM SUBJECTS ENTERING TWO CENTRAL INTAKE UNITS SERVING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. THE PERIOD OF CRIMINALITY STUDIED WAS THE 6 MONTHS PRECEDING ENTRY INTO DRUG TREATMENT. PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES INCLUDED ANOMIE (A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION, DESPAIR, OR GENERALIZED STRAIN STEMMING FROM ONE'S PLACEMENT IN SOCIETY), DISVALUED STATUS (THE PERCEPTION THAT ONE IS LOOKED DOWN UPON BY SOCIETY), VALUE ORIENTATION (GENERALLY HELD ATTITUDES ABOUT PEOPLE AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS), ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION, ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, TOLERANCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, AND MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, THE SERIOUSNESS OF SELF-REPORTED CRIMES WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ANOMIE, VALUE ORIENTATION, ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION, TOLERANCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, OR DISVALUED STATUS. SIGNIFICANT AND DIRECT ASSOCIATIONS WERE FOUND BETWEEN SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATION WITH CRIMINAL OTHERS (BOTH DRUG USERS AND NONUSERS), STRAINED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, ADDICTS' REPORTS OF HAVING BEEN QUESTIONED BY POLICE FOR NO CAUSE, AND MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT, ALTHOUGH THE ADDICT MAY BE PREDISPOSED TO AND INFLUENCED BY PRESSURES LEADING TO DESPAIR, FEELINGS OF BEING DISVALUED, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY, A MORE SERIOUS INFLUENCE ON CRIMINALITY IS THE INABILITY TO DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROSOCIAL PEOPLE. THE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS SHOULD ATTEMPT TO STRENGTHEN ADDICTS' POSITIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND ENCOURAGE THEIR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SEPARATION FROM INFLUENTIAL CRIMINAL OTHERS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A COPY OF THE STUDY INSTRUMENT ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)