Exploring Careers in Deviance: A Joint Trajectory Analysis of Criminal Behavior and Substance Use in an Offender Population

Author: Sullivan Christopher J.   Hamilton Zachary K.  

Publisher: Routledge Ltd

ISSN: 1521-0456

Source: Deviant Behavior, Vol.28, Iss.6, 2007-11, pp. : 497-523

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Abstract

Empirically, one of the most consistently observed correlations in social science inquiry is that of substance use and criminal behavior. Recently, these behaviors have been examined separately within longitudinal, career-based frameworks. This study assesses the joint distribution of crime and substance use over several years and identifies a number of latent classes reflecting trends in these behaviors. The study data come from a sample of 524 offenders released from California Youth Authority custody. In general, the two behaviors tend to ebb and flow together, but the overall prevalence of substance use over time, absent offending, suggests some degree of independence.