bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Graduation from a Day Treatment Drug Court in California: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Sechrest Dale K. , Shicor David
Published: March 2012

This paper focuses on an evaluation of the Riverside County (California) Drug Court Program, a post conviction program that operates much like most drug courts in the country. Riverside County has a large population of drug abusers. A recent study (Sechrest and Josi, 1996) showed that about 40% of the prison commitments from this county were for drug offenses (this figure did not include commitments for other crimes with drug involvement). The “Inland Empire,” comprising Riverside County and San Bernardino counties, is known as one of the highest, if not the highest, producers of methamphetamine in the nation.
Drug Courts and Recidivism: The Results of an Evaluation Using Two Comparison Groups and Multiple Indicators of Recidivism
Authors: Spohn Cassia , Piper R.K. , Martin Tom , Frenzel Erika Davis
Published: March 2012

Increases in the number of drug offenders appearing in state and federal courts, coupled with mounting evidence of both the linkages between drug use and crime and the efficacy of drug treatment programs, led many jurisdictions to implement drug treatment courts. Although these courts vary on a number of dimensions, most are designed to reduce drug use and criminal behavior among drug-involved offenders. This study evaluates the effectiveness of one drug court–the Douglas County (Omaha), Nebraska Drug Court–in reducing offender recidivism. We use a variety of analytical techniques to compare drug court participants and offenders in two matched comparison groups on a number of measures of recidivism. Our results reveal that drug court participants have substantially lower rates of recidivism than traditionally adjudicated felony drug offenders, and that the differences in recidivism rates between drug court participants and drug offenders who participated in a diversion program prior to the implementation of the drug court disappeared once we controlled for the offender's assessed level of risk, as indicated by his/her LSI score.
An Evaluation of the Chester County (PA) Drug Court Program
Authors: Brewster Mary P.
Published: March 2012

The Chester County (PA) Drug Court Program was implemented in October of 1997. By the end of January of 1999, 184 drug offenders had participated in the program. This evaluation of the Chester County Drug Court Program compares the 184 drug court participants to 51 comparable offenders who were placed on probation at some point between December 1996 and September 1997. These comparison subjects were selected based upon the drug court program eligibility criteria (i.e., offenders charged with non-mandatory drug offenses; offenders not under probation or parole supervision when charged with drug offenses; and no prior record for violent offenses). Drug court and comparison samples were compared in terms of current status, new arrests, revocation/removal from program, and drug testing results. Findings reveal a lower rate of positive results for drug tests taken by the drug court participants as compared to the comparison group. Similarly, there was a lower rate of rearrest during the program among the drug court sample than among the comparison sample. On the other hand, drug court participants were more likely than the comparison group to be unsuccessfully removed from their programs. Survival analysis revealed that the differences in the survival patterns of the drug court and comparison samples approached statistical significance. Additionally, African American drug court participants appeared to do significantly poorer than Caucasian drug court participants. Those drug court graduates for whom follow-up data (n=15) were available appear to be successful in leading productive and drug-free lives.
Everyday Hassles: Barriers to Recovery in Drug Court
Authors: Wolf Elaine , Colyer Corey
Published: March 2012

Participants in a drug court are subjects in a study that analyzes the relationship between the everyday problems they identify in discussions with the judge and their patterns of recovery, as measured by compliance with program requirements. 130 types of problems mentioned in court revealed that problems generally are those associated with the individuals themselves (e.g., their physical health), their immediate social milieu (e.g., domestic abuse), and the larger social structure in which they negotiate their lives (e.g., acquiring Medicaid benefits). The most frequently mentioned types of problems were “structural” in nature. Patterns of recovery identified in program graduates resulted in labels of “clear sailers,” “late bloomers,” “occasional stumblers,” and “chronic stumblers.” A case study of an occasional stumbler reveals some ways in which everyday hassles and her responses to them affected her recovery.
Role Strain and Illicit Drug Use: The Moderating Influence of Commitment to Conventional Values
Authors: Liu Xiaoru , Kaplan Howard B.
Published: March 2012

The hypothesized relationships between strain associated with marital/parental/single roles and illicit drug use and commitment to conventionality as a moderating variable of the role strain–drug use relationship were estimated using white Anglo respondents who were interviewed as young adults. Multiple regression analyses indicate that individuals who are married/in long-term relationships and who have children living with them are least likely to use illicit drugs, whereas those who are single and have no children living with them are most likely to use drugs. Moreover, individuals who experience strain associated with marriage, parenthood, or single status are more likely to use illicit drugs only when they are committed to conventional values. The moderating influences of commitment to conventionality are consistent with the contention that individuals who experience role strain and are simultaneously committed to conventionality may find failure in valued social roles more distressing and that use of drugs may serve as a private and less disruptive stress-reduction mechanism.
The Effect of Enforcement on Merchant Compliance with the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Law
Authors: Scribner Richard , Cohen Deborah
Published: March 2012

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to deter underage alcohol sales by targeting alcohol retailers instead of underage youth. A quasi-experiment using a repeated-intervention design was conducted for a random sample (n=143) of off-sale alcohol outlets from across New Orleans. Compliance checks of off-sale outlets were conducted at baseline, two months after the intervention, and eight months after the intervention. At baseline, only 11.2% (16/143) of outlets were compliant. Following the intervention, compliance increased to 39.9% (p<.001). The increase in compliance was greatest among outlets receiving citations for non compliance (23/45, 51.1%; p<.001); however, a significant increase in compliance (34/98, 34.7%; p<.001) was also observed among outlets that did not receive a citation but were only exposed to the media coverage of the issuing of citations. A small residual effect of the intervention persisted at eight months post intervention among the outlets receiving citations for non-compliance. The study demonstrates that a deterrence strategy composed of compliance checks and the threat of compliance checks was effective in increasing alcohol retailer compliance with the minimum legal drinking age law. Given the limited effectiveness of general deterrence strategies in targeting other illegal alcohol use behaviors, these findings suggest general deterrence strategies are less effective when the behavior targeted is influenced by physiologic and social externalities, as is the case for underage alcohol consumers, rather than by costs and benefits, as is the case for alcohol retailers.
Real and Perceived HIV Risk by Population Density: An Exploratory Examination
Authors: Leukefeld Carl G. , Farabee David , McDermeit Melissia , Dennis Michael L. , Wechsberg Wendee M. , Inciardi James A. , Surratt Hilary L. , Compton Wilson M. , Cottler Linda B. , Klein Hugh , Hoffman Jeffrey A. , Desmond David , Logan TK
Published: March 2012

Little is known about HIV and its primary routes of transmission in less populated areas. The purpose of this exploratory study was to contrast the real and perceived HIV risk among out-of-treatment drug users in a multi-site sample of low-, medium-, and high-population density counties in six states and Washington, D.C. Drug users in medium density areas “perceived” their risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS as lower than those in the high-density areas. A multivariate logistic regression model found that the perceived risk could be predicted primarily as a function of lifetime HIV, lifetime STDs, needle use, having multiple sexual partners, and community population density. Because of different risk patterns and a “false” sense of risk, it is important to expand HIV risk reduction activities to include less populated areas.
The Tripartite Conceptual Framework in Adolescence and Adulthood: Evidence from a National Sample
Authors: Menard Scott , Mihalic Sharon
Published: March 2012

The relationship between substance use and crime is investigated, building on previous research by Goldstein and his colleagues (Brownstein & Goldstein, 1990; Goldstein, 1985; Goldstein, Brownstein, & Ryan, 1992). The previous research is extended by examining the relationship between substance use and crime at different stages of the life course, adolescence and early adulthood, by examining the relationship for a broader range of offenses than has been used in previous studies, and by examining Goldstein's tripartite classification of substance-related offending in a general population sample. The results indicate an important role for alcohol use as an influence on violence, and both adolescent and adult involvement in illicit drug markets as a risk factor for violent crime and victimization.
How Drug Abusers Organize Their Participation in HIV/AIDS Studies: Their Time and Their Place
Authors: Bowser Benjamin P. , Word Carl O. , Lockett Gloria , Smith Carla Dillard
Published: March 2012

Based upon process evaluations of two HIV/AID epidemiologic studies and one program evaluation, the authors focus on the subtle and culturally latent ways that respondents differentially make themselves available as research subjects. Our primary thesis is that injection drug users respond to opportunities to be interviewed and paid as a group as well as individuals. In which case, they influence as a group who is recruited for interviews. In this retrospective review, we show the ways that some IDUs respond differentially to research methods based on ways that they are organized in the larger community.
The Impact of Drug Enforcement on Crime: An Investigation of the Opportunity Cost of Police Resources
Authors: Benson Bruce L. , Leburn Ian Sebastian , Rasmussen David W.
Published: March 2012

The conventional wisdom among the law enforcement community is that drug use causes crime and that stringent enforcement of drug laws is an effective tool to combat property and violent crime. Previous research by some of these authors found that a sharp increase in drug enforcement in Florida during 1984–1989 resulted in a reallocation of police resources which reduced the effectiveness of property crime enforcement and increased the property crime rate. Some have suspected that this result is the product of the very large increase in drug enforcement during this time period and that under “normal” circumstances greater drug enforcement would not result in higher property crime. This paper rebuts that suspicion.
Drug Use and Treatment Initiation Patterns: Differences by Birth-Cohorts
Authors: Joshi Vandana , Grella Christine E. , Hser Yih-Ing
Published: March 2012

Data from Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies (DATOS) were used to examine differences in correlates of early stages of drug use patterns by birth-cohorts and gender. Males showed a steady increase in family problems in each birth cohort, compared to females who showed a higher mean number of family problems in each birth cohort. The findings suggest different correlates of the early stages of drug-use pattern namely; experimentation with drugs before the onset of weekly drug use and early age of escalated or weekly drug use. Experimentation was associated with delayed onset of escalated drug use. “Experimenters” were associated with illegal activities and mental health problems, whereas “early escalators” were associated with childhood and school problems. The positive association of onset of illegal activities and psychological symptoms before the onset of weekly drug use with experimentation and delayed onset of escalated drug use was consistent across gender and birth-cohorts. Similarly, the association of family and school problems with early age of onset of escalated drug use was also consistent across gender and birth cohorts. Treatment providers can benefit from a better understanding of clients' pathways and progression of addiction careers in order to assess their treatment needs.
Increases, Reductions, or No Effect? The Puzzle of Neural Findings from Animal Models of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure
Authors: Gendle Mathew H.
Published: March 2012

In the past 10 years, behavioral neuroscience research has revealed that prenatal exposure to cocaine results in a specific constellation of cognitive impairments, primarily within the domains of selective attention, sustained attention, and emotional reactivity. In this time, numerous animal models have been developed in an attempt to understand the biological basis of these cognitive and affective changes. However, several inconsistencies in key methodologies and experimental procedures utilized by these models have hindered the formulation of conclusions from this animal data. In this commentary, these procedural differences are discussed, and numerous criteria are proposed for evaluating the validity of animal models of prenatal cocaine exposure.
Does Cigarette Smoking Affect Drug Abuse Treatment?
Authors: McCarthy William J. , Collins Cyleste , Hser Yih-Ing
Published: March 2012

Does quitting cigarette smoking help or hurt the polydrug user in treatment for drug use? Data were obtained from 407 polydrug users in 15 treatment centers in Los Angeles at baseline and one-year follow-up. Measures: Smoking status, reported drug use, urine test results, SF-36 scores, Hopkins SCL, ASI-alcohol use, -drug use, -psychiatric problems, and ad hoc employment-related problems. Results: Most respondents (95%) reported some lifetime smoking. Over one-year follow-up, 29% reported a change in smoking status. At follow-up, stable former smokers reported fewer psychiatric problems than stable current smokers. Change in smoking status was associated with reduced heroin use, but with increased psychiatric problems and employment-related problems. Stable former smokers consistently reported healthier outcomes than either stable regular smokers or status changers, as reflected in somatization, obsessive/compulsive behavior, depression, and anxiety scores. Conclusions: Long-term but not short-term abstinence from tobacco use in polydrug users undergoing treatment is associated with consistently more favorable health outcomes.
Control Attitudes toward Drug Use as a Function of Paternalistic and Moralistic Principles
Authors: Stylianou Stelios
Published: March 2012

Perceptions of crime seriousness have been studied since the 1960s. Characteristics of acts affecting these perceptions have been identified, and the degree of agreement in seriousness judgments has been examined for a variety of behaviors. The present study extends this inquiry by investigating how perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality shape attitudes toward the control of drug use. These attitudes and perceptions were measured for six widely known drugs – alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and marijuana – using an electronic mail survey of university students. Univariate analysis shows dissensus rather than consensus in attitudes and perceptions and that, with the exception of marijuana, control attitudes toward drug use reflect the existing legal code. Multivariate analysis shows that perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality are moderately to highly correlated and that control attitudes are strongly affected by perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality.
Relationship of Alcohol Use to Delinquency and Illicit Drug Use in Adolescents: Gender, Age, and Racial/Ethnic Differences
Authors: Barnes Grace M. , Welte John W. , Hoffman Joseph H.
Published: March 2012

Alcohol use has been linked to other substance use and delinquency in adolescents. However, few studies have examined variations in these relationships in representative subsamples of gender, age and racial/ethnic groups. Respondents in this study were 19,321 New York State 7–12th grade students. After controlling for significant sociodemographic factors in a regression analysis, all of the alcohol measures remained strong predictors of both delinquency and illicit drug use. Significant interactions between alcohol measures and gender, age and racial/ethnic groups were also found. For example, the relationship between binge drinking and delinquency was stronger for males than females. The relationships between alcohol measures and both delinquency and illicit drug use were stronger for younger adolescents than older adolescents. American Indians showed an added risk over other groups of being delinquent and using illicit drugs if they began drinking at an early age. Prevention efforts to delay initiation into alcohol use are likely to have effects not only on alcohol misuse but also on the development of other substance use and delinquency.
Illicit Drug Use and Reliance on Welfare
Authors: Lehrer Evelyn L. , Crittenden Kathleen , Norr Kathleen F.
Published: March 2012

This paper uses longitudinal data on nearly 500 minority mothers living in an innercity neighborhood of Chicago to study the role of illicit drugs as a potential barrier to economic self-sufficiency. The analysis employs information collected during the last trimester of pregnancy and one year after the birth of the child. Logit regressions that control for a rich set of human capital and demographic characteristics reveal that illicit drug use in the months before the pregnancy is associated with a large increase in the likelihood of welfare reliance one year later. Other models, focusing on a drug addiction problem as measured by very frequent drug use before the pregnancy or any use during the pregnancy, yield even more pronounced effects, a result that is robust to a different specification that treats this variable as endogenous.
Predicting Long-term Treatment Utilization among Addicts Entering Detoxification: The Contribution of Help-seeking Models
Authors: Kleinman Bhadra Paula , Millery Mari , Scimeca Michael , Polissar Nayak L.
Published: March 2012

Detoxification is the entry point into the drug treatment system for many heroin and cocaine addicts. In this paper, we examine both socio-demographic predictors of utilization of long-term treatment and constructs based on theories of help-seeking. Data for this paper were collected from 279 heroin and cocaine dependent individuals, at entry into two detoxification programs and 30 or more days later, to determine their long-term treatment status in the 30 days following detoxification. We find that homeless individuals, those on parole, and those who have used drugs for fewer than 20 years are more likely than their counterparts to be in treatment. Even when an array of sociodemographic characteristics are controlled, constructs drawn from the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1988) –viz. intention to enter treatment, behavioral beliefs favoring treatment, and perceived behavioral control (self-efficacy) contribute significantly to the prediction of treatment utilization.
Welfare Reform and Housing: Assessing the Impact to Substance Abusers
Authors: Anderson Tammy L. , Shannon Caitlin , Schyb Igor , Goldstein Paul
Published: March 2012

The addiction disability (Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Income program for drug abuse and alcoholism) was terminated by Congress in December 1996 as part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). Discussions about welfare reform policies in the latter 20th century have centered on Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) receipt by the general population. Far less attention has been paid to programs such as the addiction disability that were also affected by the PRWORA. Our purpose is to study the effect of this policy change on the housing status of former addiction disability recipients and to also explore whether and how disruptions in living situations increased risks for drug and alcohol use, criminal participation and victimization. We utilize insights from two major sociological theories of housing or homelessness, i.e., individualistic and structural, to guide our exploration of the policy's impact on housing. A qualitative analysis, featuring in-depth interviews with 101, nonrandomly selected former recipients revealed that disability benefits promoted housing autonomy, successful cohabitation, and overall housing stability. The termination of benefits, at a time of diminishing social services (e.g., cash and housing assistance) and a housing market explosion, increased various types of homelessness for respondents and dependency on family and friends. Such negative living outcomes, in turn, further escalated the risk of drug and alcohol use, criminal participation, and victimization. Individual-level factors also complicated the matter. Implications for research and policy are discussed.
Safer Injection Facilities in North America: Their Place in Public Policy and Health Initiatives
Authors: Broadhead Robert S. , Kerr Thomas H. , Grund Jean-Paul C. , Altice Frederick L.
Published: March 2012

The continuing threat posed by HIV, HCV, drug overdose, and other injection-related health problems in both the United States and Canada indicates the need for further development of innovative interventions for drug injectors, for reducing disease and mortality rates, and for enrolling injectors into drug treatment and other health care programs. Governmentally sanctioned “safer injection facilities” (SIFs) are a service that many countries around the world have added to the array of public health programs they offer injectors. In addition to needle exchange programs, street-outreach and other services, SIFs are clearly additions to much larger comprehensive public health initiatives that municipalities pursue in many countries. A survey of the existing research literature, plus the authors' ethnographic observations of 18 SIFs operating in western Europe and one SIF that was recently opened in Sydney, Australia, suggest that SIFs target several problems that needle exchange, street-outreach, and other conventional services fall short in addressing: (1) reducing rates of drug injection and related-risks in public spaces; (2) placing injectors in more direct and timely contact with medical care, drug treatment, counseling, and other social services; (3) reducing the volume of injectors' discarded litter in, and expropriation of, public spaces. In light of the evidence, the time has come for more municipalities within North America to begin considering the place of SIFs in public policy and health initiatives, and to provide support for controlled field trials and demonstration projects of SIFs operating in injection drug-using communities.
Recent Developments regarding Drug Law and Policy in Germany and the European Community: The Evolution of Drug Control in Europe
Authors: Böllinger Lorenz
Published: March 2012

Drug use and drug control are theoretically — in terms of both social psychology and sociology — viewed as complementary components of a complex social and historical interaction process. Subsequently historical and other evidence is presented to substantiate the theoretical hypotheses. This lays the ground for the presentation and interpretation of the actual drug control system in Germany and the European Union. Again some theoretical hypotheses and their empirical grounding are presented concerning the logic of development trends. In the final part, the evolution of drug laws and their implementation are viewed. Recent developments can be regarded as taking place in stages based on certain changeable paradigms: the abstinence paradigm, the medicalization paradigm and the acceptance paradigm. For the time being there seems to be a slow transition from the first to the latter, implying that elements of all three are presently active in a diversity of policies and strategies, differing between states and regions of the German federal state and the European Union as well as between different levels of drug policy and drug care.
Cannabis Consumption in Amsterdam, Bremen and San Francisco: A Three-City Comparison of Long-Term Cannabis Consumption
Authors: Borchers-Tempel Susanne , Kolte Birgitta
Published: March 2012

Long-term cannabis consumers in Amsterdam, Bremen and San Francisco were asked in a detailed questionnaire about their experiences with cannabis products. The research focus was the question of how the consumption of cannabis is realized under the conditions established through different drug policies. The research utilized a sample of 522 cannabis consumers exhibiting a wide range of experiences and different consumption patterns. The authors were able to elaborate five 1different consumer types. The prevalence of these specific user types was closely associated with the city where the consumers reside. There were also some direct consequences of the different drug politics in place in the different cities, such as the level of fear associated with the potential criminal consequences of use, and the sources for the purchase of cannabis products.
Crack Cocaine use in Hamburg's Open Drug Scene
Authors: Thane Katja
Published: March 2012

As consumption of crack cocaine has increased in Germany during recent years, the media have condemned it as a “demon drug,” claiming that it causes instantaneous addiction and violence. Although the issue is not comparable to the crack scare that occurred in the United States during the late 1980s, it is now being politicized in a similar manner. Because there is little known about crack use in Germany, the author initiated a small field study in Hamburg investigating the appearance of crack and the use patterns that developed in the open drug scene there. A convenience sample of 64 crack smokers provided responses to a questionnaire about their use of the drug. A number of significant differences were noted among users, variations that are mainly reflected in different methods of use and settings where the drug is consumed. The common assertion that crack cocaine causes violence was not substantiated here, although crack users are nevertheless often blamed for a variety of social, political, and economic problems in German society.
Pill Kick: The Pursuit of “Ecstasy” at Techno-Events
Authors: Hitzler Ronald
Published: March 2012

Skimming through current publications about “Techno and Drugs” without looking into the more detailed distinctions between them, one gets the impression that the increase in the use of ecstasy (MDMA) and the growth of the Techno-scene, especially in the 1990s, are highly correlated. In fact, most ecstasy users identify themselves as Techno-fans, and those Techno-fans who consume drugs generally prefer ecstasy. It has also been suggested that the specific active ingredients of all amphetamine derivatives marketed under the catchall term “ecstasy” are pharmacologically psychotropic. But these active ingredients are not the main problem in the ongoing ecstasy boom.
Broken Home or Drug using Peers: “Significant Relations”?
Authors: Quensel Stephan , McArdle Paul , Brinkley Aoife , Wiegersma Auke , Blom M. , Fitzgerald M. , Johnson R. , Kolte B. , Michels I , Pierolini A. , Pos R. , Stoeckel I.
Published: March 2012

This study reports the results of a comparative survey with representative samples of 3,386 school attending youths, most of whom were 15 years of age and residing in five European cities. We found significant but low correlations between the type of family structure (intact family, model family, dual career houshold, single mother) and five forms of deviant behavior (tobacco smoking, cannabis use, delinquency, general drug use and a composite risk behavior scale). These correlations will be displaced by very high correlations with the level of drug using friends/peers. A number of differences were found between the youth from different cities in relation to these concerns. Results indicate differences among the cities in terms of the youths' relationships with drug use/deviance/risky behavior and family structure, gender role, and peer group behavior. This suggests that the cultural meanings associated with family, gender role, peer group, and risk behavior influence deviant outcomes.
Drug-Substitution Treatment in Germany: A Critical Overview of Its History, Legislation and Current Practice
Authors: Gerlach Ralf
Published: March 2012

Within a global context, Germany was relatively late in its acceptance of substitution treatment, having first introduced methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in the late 1980s. Since the early 1990s, Germany has taken a number of legal steps which favor harm reduction, assistance and treatment, rather than the law enforcement approach that was dominant before. As a result of this new commitment, Germany now also allows the use of non-methadone substitutes, such as buprenorphine, LAAM, dihydrocodeine (DHC) and codeine. A heroin maintenance trial has been scheduled to begin in early 2002. Despite the fact that the overall number of participants in drug-substitution treatment has risen over the past decade from about 1,000 in the early 1990s to more than 55,000 in 2001 and that MMT has been comprehensively evaluated in Germany with favorable outcomes, there remains a lack of availability of and accessibility to substitution treatment, due to rigid entry and treatment criteria imposed by the social health insurers (SHI).
Drugs and Driving: Dangerous Youth or Anxious Adults?
Authors: Böllinger Lorenz , Quensel Stephan
Published: March 2012

A new German regulation provides for an extensive medico-psychological testing procedure in cases of suspected cannabis use, to be paid for by the driving license holder who is placed under suspicion. A brief account of the pertinent German legislation is presented, and the test measures are analyzed and criticized, using data from a representative survey conducted in the city of Bremen. Cannabis use, although a common feature of youth culture, is causally involved in comparatively few traffic accidents. Viewing the recent regulation, together with a pervasively negative estimation of cannabis effects by the older generations, the test measures are interpreted as part of a general strategy in an ongoing generational conflict.
Drug Checking: Monitoring the Contents of New Synthetic Drugs
Authors: Schroers Artur
Published: March 2012

The term “drug checking” is defined here as the provision of secondary prevention services in the field. Specifically, ecstasy and other new synthetic drugs are frequently being used at raves (dance parties with electronic music), and now these substances may be analyzed onsite to determine their content. Drug checking is also useful for the early detection of drug consuming trends through systematic monitoring. Whereas in neighboring European states, drug checking and monitoring is a growing trend, in Germany the realization of such innovative field methods for prevention and research cannot take place because of legal prohibitions.
Controlled Smoking: Implications for Research on Tobacco use
Authors: Kolte Birgitta , Schmidt-Semisch Henning
Published: March 2012

Tobacco might be the most widespread “Genussmittel” (a good that is defined in terms of its users' intentions to enjoy, relish its taste, effects, etc.; “Genuss”) in the world. But even though the use of tobacco is primarily motivated by an expectation of “Genuss,” within recent years the main public focus has turned to the problematic aspects of smoking. In the years after World War II concerns were directed toward the harms of tobacco. Then – starting in the 1980s – the discourse on harm changed into a discourse on (nicotine) addiction. This article outlines a prospective research project concerned with the way the addiction discourse continuously reproduces current patterns of “addicted smoking” in the form of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What Do Hamburgers and Drug Care Have in Common: Some Unorthodox Remarks on the McDonaldization and Rationality of Drug Care
Authors: Kemmesies Uwe E.
Published: March 2012

This paper traces the question of whether there is a growing process of rationalization underlying drug policy and drug treatment, in the sense of the “McDonaldization” thesis established by Ritzer (2000). Taking Germany as an example, there is some evidence that endeavors to achieve enhanced efficiency may actually lead to a lack of rationality. Here we explore the historical background of this McDonaldization process as it relates to drug policy and treatment in Germany. Is it possible to escape from the “irrationality of rationality,” that is, the intense efforts directed at efficiency in drug treatment?
An Alternative to Contemporary Forms of Drug Control
Authors: Schmidt-Semisch Henning , Paul Bettina
Published: March 2012

This article analyzes the main concepts utilized in non-repressive drug control models. After discussing three models of cannabis control used in the Netherlands, Switzerland and the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, the authors present an alternative model that is based on the German foodstuffs law.
Bridging the Gap between Substance Abuse Practice and Research: The National Treatment Plan Initiative
Authors: Clark H. Westley
Published: March 2012

The abuse of alcohol and other drugs leads to serious health problems, criminal activity, automobile crashes, and lost productivity in the workplace. As we advocate treatment for those who suffer from alcohol or drug addiction, we must advocate treatment that is proven effective for the drug and populace involved. However, due to background, cultural, and language differences between substance abuse researchers, treatment providers, and policy makers, empirically tested treatments are not being put into widespread practice. To bridge this gap, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment sponsored the National Treatment Plan Initiative, a two-year effort to listen to multiple segments of the treatment field. This led to the formation of the Practice Improvement Collaborative (PIC) Program, whose purpose is to foster community-based partnerships that are committed to the identification, adoption, and evaluation of evidence-based practices that address locally defined needs. The PIC and the overall goals of the National Treatment Plan are discussed.
Connecting Substance Abuse Treatment and Research: “Let's Make a Deal”
Authors: Rawson Richard A. , Branch Cheryl
Published: March 2012

Partnerships between substance abuse researchers and practitioners are being encouraged by numerous initiatives developed in response to a 1998 Institute of Medicine Report (IOM, 1998). The need for the initiatives is clear; however, the structure of the partnerships and how each partner can benefit from them is less clear. There is evidence that each group appreciates the principle of moving research and practice closer together. It is less clear what each group wants from the partnership and what each group can contribute to it. Researchers want to conduct well-controlled studies, with access to clinical populations and adequate control over the study environment to ensure rigorous protocol compliance. Practitioners should be compensated for the time they spend on these projects, and they want to address questions that are of importance to their clinical populations and stay current with new knowledge and technology. No matter how interesting and important these efforts are, unless each group derives adequate and fairly shared benefits, the partnerships will flounder.
Deconstructing the Concept of “Special Populations”
Authors: Hegamin Angela , Anglin Gayl M. , Casanova Mark
Published: March 2012

As part of the April 2001 “Common Ground, Common Language, Common Goals: Bringing Substance Abuse Practice and Research Together” conference, a panel of treatment provider experts was assembled to discuss the unique treatment needs of “special populations.” The “Special Populations” panel was initially guided by the assumption that clients with unique needs should be considered as distinct homogeneous groups, outside the mainstream. However, as panel members revealed, the heterogeneity of the substance abuse treatment client population suggests that the concept of “special populations” may be inappropriate and that alternative approaches to conceptualizing diversity within the substance abuse treatment client population are needed. The present paper provides background on the use of term “special populations” in the substance abuse field and summarizes discussions that occurred during the “Special Populations” panel regarding the application of this concept to clients in substance abuse treatment.
Making Collaboration Work: Key Components of Practice/Research Partnerships
Authors: Reback Cathy J. , Cohen Allan J. , Freese Thomas E. , Shoptaw Steven
Published: March 2012

Drawing on our experiences as researchers and community-based providers, this paper outlines several key components of successful practice/research collaboration: forming equal partnerships, bilateral communication, ensuring nonhierarchical collaborations, and appropriate dissemination of outcomes. Many concrete benefits can result from collaborative research projects, including additional services, program development, and training for service agency staff. Building partnerships takes time and a good amount of planning and negotiation prior to writing proposals. However, these collaborations can result in more effective efforts to solve common problems and reach common goals.
Value and Usefulness of a Collaborative Information Sharing Forum: Findings from the “Common Ground” Conference Evaluation Activities
Authors: De Veauuse Brown Natasha
Published: March 2012

To determine the value, usefulness, and impact of the “Common Ground, Common Language, Common Goals (CCC): Bringing Substance Abuse Practice and Research Together” conference, which was held April 2001 in Los Angeles, participants were surveyed regarding the effectiveness of the conference overall, the impact of the conference on attendees' collaborative behaviors, and the quality of the roundtable discussion sessions and other activities. Attendees of the two-day conference included substance abuse treatment providers, researchers, policy makers, and community representatives/activists. Based on evaluation findings, participants felt the event provided an appropriate venue for taking the first steps in establishing multidirectional lines of communication and candid knowledge exchange between these diverse stakeholders.
CADS: Two Short Screeners for Cocaine and Heroin Dependence among Arrestees
Authors: Wish Eric D. , Petronis Kenneth R. , Yacoubian George S.
Published: March 2012

In view of the prevalence of drug use among criminals, the assessment of drug dependence is a valuable responsibility of the criminal justice system. Obtaining accurate and expeditious assessments, however, has traditionally been a difficult goal to achieve because of limited time and resources. While several scales have been developed to screen for drug dependence, none have been developed for specific drugs of abuse within criminal populations. We used data from the Substance Abuse Need for Treatment among Arrestees (SANTA) study in Baltimore to develop screening instruments for cocaine and heroin dependence. The SANTA interview is a module of questions that diagnoses alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse and dependence according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition-revised (DSM-III-R) criteria. Extensive inquiries about AOD-using behaviors are made using a computer-assisted module of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version III-Revised (DIS-III-R), a structured interview that operationalizes the nine DSM-III criteria to diagnose substance abuse and dependence and estimate treatment need based on interview responses. The Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) Arrestee Drug Screener (CADS) developed in the current study utilizes two sets of three questions each from the DIS-III-R for the purpose of identifying cocaine and heroin dependence among arrestees. The high sensitivities and negative predictive values of the CADS make them especially useful for identifying those arrestees most likely to be diagnosed dependent on the respective drug. Implications for using the screeners with criminal populations are discussed.
Early Substance Use and School Achievement: An Examination of Latino, White, and African American Youth
Authors: McCluskey Cynthia Perez , Krohn Marvin D. , Lizotte Alan J. , Rodriguez Monica L.
Published: March 2012

This study examines the impact of early substance use on school completion. From a life-course perspective, early deviance can interrupt adolescent development, including education. Studies have cited substance use in early adolescence as a risk factor for school dropout; however, few studies examine the relationship with diverse samples. Using longitudinal data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, we examine the impact of early alcohol and drug use on high school completion relative to other risk factors for Latino, White, and African American males. Once family, school, and life events are considered, early alcohol and drug use exerts an independent influence on the failure to complete high school for White and African American males. Among Latino males, the relationship between early use and school completion appears to be mediated by impregnating a partner
Family Relationships and Adolescent Cigarette Smoking: Results from a National Longitudinal Survey
Authors: Miller Todd Q. , Volk Robert J.
Published: March 2012

The current study used national survey data to identify which aspects of family relationships are predictive of experimental and daily cigarette smoking. A multi-wave longitudinal survey periodically assessed adolescents aged 11 to 17 (N = 1,725) over a seven year follow-up period. Parent interviewers were obtained at the initial screening. Nineteen indicators of family relationships were used based on parent and child interviews. Several indicators of smoking were used including first time cigarette smoking, a nine-point scale of intensity of experimentation with cigarettes, an indicator of daily smoking, and an indicator of smoking at least five or more cigarettes per day. Logistic and multiple regression analyses that controlled for ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status found that family relationships were only predictive for subjects under the age of 18. Significant predictors were (a) indices of parental attachment, (b) indices of time spent with one's family, (c) having older siblings who smoke, (d) family structure, (e) family stress, (g) parental negative labeling of the child, and (h) parental leniency towards delinquent acts. We conclude that several aspects of family relationships are important predictors of adolescent cigarette smoking and predict daily smoking more strongly than initial smoking.
A Glass Half Full? Harm Reduction among Pregnant Women Who Use Cocaine
Authors: Flavin Jeanne
Published: March 2012

The current research challenges the popular assumption that pregnant women who use drugs are either unable or unwilling to take steps to promote a healthy pregnancy. Many qualitative studies have found that pregnant women who use drugs may engage in harm reduction strategies. These findings were confirmed in the present study, which uses data collected as part of the 1992 National Institute on Drug Abuse survey of women who delivered live-born infants in DC hospitals. These data also highlight the disadvantaged socioeconomic, emotional, and physical position of women who use cocaine relative to other women. The findings suggest a need for policies and responses to maternal drug use that recognize many women's desire to promote a healthy pregnancy as well as their diminished social and physical circumstances.
Predictors of Positive Outcomes for Out-of-Treatment Opiate Injectors Recruited into Methadone Maintenance through Street Outreach
Authors: Corsi Karen Fortuin , Kwiatkowski Carol F. , Booth Robert E.
Published: March 2012

This study was conducted to assess behavior change in the areas of drug use, productivity, criminal activity, and HIV risk among street-recruited injection drug users who entered methadone maintenance treatment. In addition, the study examined a number of variables that could account for these changes, including demographics, intervention effects, and treatment-related measures. A total of 168 participants were interviewed at baseline, received outreach interventions, entered methadone maintenance treatment, and were reinterviewed 5–9 months later. Significant (p<.001) improvements were seen in the areas of drug use, productivity, criminality, and HIV risk behaviors. The only variables significantly associated with behavior change were related to drug treatment. In particular, being in treatment at the time of the follow-up assessment had the strongest relationship to positive outcomes, including length of treatment. Having no prior treatment experience was associated with fewer injections at follow-up. These findings emphasize the importance of retaining clients, given the likelihood that positive change is likely to be evidenced while they remain in treatment
HIV-Positive Out-of-Treatment Drug Users Who are Unaware of Their HIV Status: Predictors of Who Gets Tested and Who Returns for Test Results
Authors: Strauss Shiela M. , Deren Sherry , Rindskopf David M. , Falkin Gregory P.
Published: March 2012

Many HIV positive drug users are unaware that they have the virus, either because they never obtained testing for HIV or because they submitted a biological specimen for testing but never returned to obtain the result of the test. Using data collected from a large multi-site sample of out-of-treatment HIV positive drug users (N=1,544), we identify a variety of socio-demographic characteristics and drug use and sexual risk behaviors that differentiate HIV-positive individuals who had obtained HIV testing in the past and those who had not and, among those who had been tested, what differentiates individuals who had returned to obtain their HIV test results and those who had failed to return. Results of the analyses suggest that there is a need to target different subgroups of high risk drug users for interventions to obtain HIV testing as compared with those that need encouragement to obtain the results of this testing.