Year of Award

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Sociology

Department or School/College

Department of Sociology

Committee Chair

Daniel P. Doyle

Commitee Members

Cynthia L. Garthwait, Dusten R. Hollist, James W. Burfeind

Keywords

amenability, crime, drug use, legal system, mental health, treatment

Abstract

It has been well documented in the criminological literature that drug use and crime co-occur (Eilliot, Huizinga and Ageton 1985, Goldstein 1985). Data from the Missoula Arrestee Drug Use Monitoring Study were used to investigate the relationships between drug use, treatment experiences, encounters with the legal system and amenability. It was hypothesized that substance use and dependence would predict encounters with the legal system. It was also hypothesized that treatment experiences would predict lower drug and alcohol dependency scores and fewer encounters with the legal system. Additionally, substance dependence and encounters with the legal system were expected to predict high levels of amenability to treatment. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test these hypotheses. Treatment experiences were strong predictors of incarceration. High frequencies of alcohol use in the past 30 days and low levels of awareness of alcohol problems also predicted incarceration. Treatment had protective effects on frequencies of alcohol use and arrest. Drug and alcohol dependence and arrest were found to be the best predictors of amenability to treatment.

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© Copyright 2007 Samantha Renee Cumley