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Treating juvenile offenders for marijuana problems
Author(s) -
Webb Charles P. M.,
Burleson Joseph A.,
Ungemack Jane A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1046/j.1360-0443.97.s01.9.x
Subject(s) - juvenile , juvenile delinquency , psychology , psychiatry , cannabis , medicine , biology , genetics
Aims This study investigated the characteristics and substance abuse treatment experience of two differentially defined groups of juvenileoffenders, those who were referred or otherwise involved with the legal system and those who reported recent criminal behavior. Design Six hundred adolescents from the Cannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) Project were classified by criminal justice system involvement and recentcriminal behavior. Multivariate and repeated‐measures techniques explored substance use frequency, substance use problems, psychologicaland social risk factors and treatment outcomes as functions of criminal status. Findings Adolescents reporting criminal justice system involvement were comparable to adolescents reporting no legal involvement. Adolescentsreporting past crime presented with heavier substance use, more substance use problems and greater psychological and environmentalrisks. Criminally active adolescents had greater reductions in substance use frequency and substance use problems during the course of treatment. Conclusion Juvenile offender status, whether defined by criminal justice system involvement or criminal behavior, does not seem to mitigatethe potential for adolescents to benefit from manual‐guided outpatient treatments.