Who Is The One Who Knocks? A study into which type of drug user is most likely to commit which type of crime in a Dutch clinical adolescent population

Research into Dutch substance-dependent youths who have committed crimes (age 16-22) is scarce, even though this population might benefit from more targeted treatment (e.g., addition of anger management to treatment for youths who have committed violent crimes) and is more likely to exhibit recidivism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relation between different types of drugs (alcohol, cannabis, and hard drugs) and different types of crime (violent, drug-related, and property). It was expected that (1) alcohol users were more likely to commit violent crimes than cannabis or hard drug users, (2) cannabis users were less likely to commit drug-related crimes than alcohol or hard drugs users, and (3) hard drug users were more likely to commit property crimes than alcohol or cannabis users. Gender, SES, education, polydrug use, and conduct disorder were also taken into account. All variables were assessed using a structured interview in a sample of 209 youths who...Show moreResearch into Dutch substance-dependent youths who have committed crimes (age 16-22) is scarce, even though this population might benefit from more targeted treatment (e.g., addition of anger management to treatment for youths who have committed violent crimes) and is more likely to exhibit recidivism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relation between different types of drugs (alcohol, cannabis, and hard drugs) and different types of crime (violent, drug-related, and property). It was expected that (1) alcohol users were more likely to commit violent crimes than cannabis or hard drug users, (2) cannabis users were less likely to commit drug-related crimes than alcohol or hard drugs users, and (3) hard drug users were more likely to commit property crimes than alcohol or cannabis users. Gender, SES, education, polydrug use, and conduct disorder were also taken into account. All variables were assessed using a structured interview in a sample of 209 youths who came into treatment for SUD at different treatment centers across the Netherlands. The key finding of this study was that the majority of this sample had committed multiple types of crime and were using multiple types of drugs, which made confirmatory analyses impossible. Exploratory analyses indicated that cannabis users were more likely to commit drug-related crimes than non-cannabis users and that there was no specific type of drug that increased the likeliness that a youth would commit multiple crimes.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

Who Is The One Who Knocks? A study into which type of drug user is most likely to commit which type of crime in a Dutch clinical adolescent population