THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG USE, DRUG SALES AND NON-DRUG RELATED CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF YOUTH.
Item
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Title
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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG USE, DRUG SALES AND NON-DRUG RELATED CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF YOUTH.
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Identifier
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AAI8801724
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identifier
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8801724
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Creator
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KAPLAN, MITCHELL ALAN.
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Contributor
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Charles Winick
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Date
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1987
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Sociology, Criminology and Penology
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between drug use, drug sales, and nondrug crime in a national sample of 1542 subjects ages 14-20. The data, collected in 1979, constituted an exhaustive set of questions covering participation and frequency rates in delinquent behavior. Questions of the extent of participation of the sample in drug and nondrug forms of delinquency needed to be explored: (1) What was the magnitude of the problem? (2) How many were involved in drugs and delinquency? (3) What was the relationship between drug use and drug sales? (4) What was the relationship between drug involvement as a user or seller and nondrug crime? (5) How can we specify the relationships among drug user, drug sellers, and nondrug criminality?;With these questions as the basis of an inquiry, indicators of drug use and drug sales were constructed, differentiating between marijuana and hard drugs. Indices of nondrug crime were compiled using three levels of generality: (1) specific crimes, including the following misdemeanors: theft, assault, property damage, and disorderly conduct; and the following felonies: robbery, grand larceny, and aggravated assault; (2) first-level composite indices, including index (or felony) crimes, misdemeanors, and key offenses, the latter including all of the specific crimes listed above; and (3) second-level composite indices of general delinquency.;The major findings of the study were: (1) there was a positive relationship between drug use participation rates and drug sales participation rates. (2) There were positive relationships between drug use and drug sales and nondrug criminal behavior. (3) Frequency of drug use and drug sales interacted synergistically in predicting nondrug delinquency. Higher frequency rates in both predicted more variance in nondrug crime than either separately. (4) Drug sales were more strongly predictive of felony crimes than drug use. (5) Drug use was more strongly predictive of minor and general nondrug crime than drug sales. (6) Drug and delinquent subcultures fuse around a core of dealers of hard drugs who have committed felonies, and a separate group of delinquent drug users. Each group constitutes approximately five percent of the total sample. (7) Drug subcultures are about twice as large as delinquent subcultures. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that drug education by expanded.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Sociology
