NCJ Number
9192
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1973) Pages: 79-90
Date Published
1973
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A TYPOLOGY OF MARIJUANA USERS SUGGESTED FOR USE IN TREATMENT MATCHING IN A PROBATION SETTING.
Abstract
MARIJUANA USERS ARE A DISTINCT CLASS, EVEN AMONG DRUG USERS. THEY TEND TO BE MORE INTELLIGENT AND COME FROM MORE AFFLUENT AND MORE STABLE FAMILIES THAN USERS OF OTHER DRUGS DO. IF THESE DIFFERENCES ARE NOT RECOGNIZED, CERTAIN PROBLEMS ARISE WHEN MARIJUANA OFFENDERS ARE SENTENCED TO PROBATION. THE FAILURE TO DEVELOP A TYPOLOGY OF MARIJUANA USERS PRECLUDES ADEQUATE SUPERVISION AND TREATMENT. THE PROPOSED TYPOLOGY OF MARIJUANA USERS WAS BASED ON CONTACTS WITH THREE HUNDRED MARIJUANA USERS AT A LARGE EASTERN UNIVERSITY. TWO DIMENSIONS THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO MARIJUANA USE BY THIS GROUP ARE RESPONSIBILITY-COPING AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT. THE TYPOLOGY IS CREATED BY PLAYING OFF THESE TWO DIMENSIONS. THE FOUR RESULTING TYPES OF MARIJUANA USERS ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED AND THE INFERENCES FOR PROBATION SUPERVISION ARE DRAWN. INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT RESULTING FROM THE USE OF SUCH A TYPOLOGY CAN BENEFIT BOTH THE OFFENDERS AND THE PROBATION SERVICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)