Suchergebnisse

Offender reentry programs have proliferated since the passage of the Second Chance Act in 2008. This study examines the effectiveness of one such jail-based reentry program for male inmates diagnosed with substance dependency and who have minor children, the Delaware County (OH) Jail Substance Abuse Treatment program. This program served 34 offenders and their families over 2 years and was based on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training model, a treatment modality for substance abuse involving both operant conditioning and family-based therapy for behavioral modification. Results from a quasi-experimental design indicate that program participants were significantly less likely to be rearrested within 1 year after release relative to a comparison group of similarly situated offenders and more likely to comply with child support orders following release. Findings also revealed the treatment group had significantly more days to failure for those who did recidivate.

This study reexamines the relationship between acculturation and illicit drug use among a sample of Mexican-American adolescents in South Texas (n=3, 186). Logistic regression was used to test the relationship between marijuana and cocaine use and two acculturation scales while controlling for structural properties and social dynamics characterizing use environment. Findings suggest that acculturation correlates with increased use of both substances when operationalized by language but not when measurement is based in social interaction. Gang membership was found to be a more explanative indicator of drug use than acculturation, suggesting that Mexican-American drug use is better understood through utilization of models factoring delinquent peer effects.

Novel psychoactive drugs (NPDs), an emerging class of dangerous substances, generally mimic the actions of commonly abused substances such as marijuana, stimulants, hallucinogens, and opiates, but are formulated, marketed, and used either to sidestep legal restrictions or to avoid positive drug screens. Synthetic cannabinoids such as Spice and K2 along with synthetic stimulants often referred to as "bath salts" have recently entered U.S. markets. The current study explores the relationship between being arrested and using NPDs per self-report survey data obtained from 2,349 students at a large university in the Southeastern United States. Respondents indicated whether they had used synthetic psychoactive drugs, reported demographic characteristics, and whether they had been arrested for a number of offenses. Results from logistic regression and propensity score matching models indicate that those who have been arrested are also more likely to use NPDs.

This study examines the cross-cultural efficacy of social learning theory as it relates to substance use among Puerto Rican adolescents. Using data from a self-report survey of high school students attending private and public schools in San Juan, Puerto Rico, we compare the relative effects of personal and peer definitions (differential association) on substance use. Results indicate that statistical differences exist between public and private school respondents on all three outcomes (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use) and the two aspects of social learning theory, definitions and differential association. After controlling for demographic factors, peer definitions are shown to have the greatest effect on likelihood of substance use. Students who perceive greater peer approval of substance use are far more likely to report lifetime cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use regardless of their own personal definitions of such behavior. Sex differences are also discussed.

An increase in correctional treatment programming options coupled with prison population reduction legislation has driven a widespread transfer of supervision from prisons to community corrections. As a result, medium-to-high risk offenders with substance use needs are increasingly managed through community-based supervision programs such as intensive supervision probation (ISP). ISP programs frequently rely on different types of graduated sanctions to encourage program completion. To further develop research on how graduated sanctions should be applied in response to substance-use-related violations, this study examines whether enhanced treatment sanctions (a rehabilitative approach) and jail sanctions (a punitive approach) may differentially impact successful ISP completion. Using a sample of persons who committed a substance use violation while on ISP, results from multilevel models demonstrate that enhanced treatment sanctions are significantly associated with increased odds of successful ISP completion. On the other hand, jail is not significant, and enhanced treatment and jail do not interact to influence ISP program success. Due to the deleterious nature of the jail environment, findings call into question the utility of jail sanctions on ISP outcomes. Overall, enhanced treatment may be a preferable means through which to sanction probationers and parolees who commit substance-use-related violations while under community supervision.