Suchergebnisse

Adolescent substance abuse treatment has been increasingly emphasized as an intervention that could interrupt progression to adult criminal careers. However, information about the pretreatment criminal behavior of adolescent treatment clients has rarely been reported. This study examined the factors associated with the severity of self-reported pretreatment offending of 178 adolescents entering outpatient substance abuse treatment in Baltimore County, Maryland. Results indicated that increased severity of crime was related to male gender, use of drugs other than alcohol and marijuana, bullying and being physically cruel to people, higher levels of deviant behavior among peers, school problems, and having sex without a barrier. Given the rather low level of criminal involvement even among the more serious offenders, the degree to which study findings replicate those on other samples of adolescents is especially noteworthy.

The criminal justice system provides access to large numbers of intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) for AIDS prevention activities. Data from a study of IVDAs entering methadone treatment suggest that criminal justice (CJ) involved IVDAs (probation, parole or released on bond) are somewhat more deviant, relative to HIV behaviors, than subjects not CJ involved, but these differences are minimal. This study suggests that CJ involved can be as responsive to AIDS prevention efforts as IVDAs not CJ involved and emphasizes community HIV prevention focused on needle use and sexual behaviors for IVDAs and their sexual partners.