NCJ Number
186947
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 73-90
Date Published
February 2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This paper evaluates the effectiveness of treatment services for amphetamine users.
Abstract
The paper describes profiles for amphetamine users who displayed violent and aggressive behavior and documents their experiences. The sample (n = 86) comprised two groups: amphetamine users seeking drug treatment and a matched case control group of amphetamine users who were not receiving treatment. Forty-seven percent of the sample reported having committed a violent crime, and half of them associated the violence with their amphetamine use. In addition, 62 percent of the sample repeated ongoing problems with aggression which were related to their amphetamine use. The paper discusses a wide range of factors, using established models of association between drug use and violence, and explores issues such as the interaction of alcohol and other drugs, the effects of trying to abstain from amphetamine use, psychological co-morbidity, the impact of amphetamine's reputation for inducing aggression, and conversely, amphetamine as a drug of choice over alcohol to try to minimize aggressive behavior. Tables, references