Epidemiologic Criminology: Drug Use Among African American Gang Members
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-27-2009
Description
Epidemiological methods and public health theories can be tied to theories of crime and delinquency and used to create evidence-based policy. Interdisciplinary theoretical approaches to existing, and emerging, public health and criminal justice problems hold great promise. Differential association theory postulates that close association with delinquent peers leads to an increase in deviant activities such as illicit drug use. Social cognitive theory postulates that health behavior change is driven by the interaction of (a) cognitive states that support a health outcome, (b) the social and contextual environment, (c) and individual action. Combined, these theories can be applied to drug eradication programs as well as other health and crime issues. Focus groups and interviews were performed to identify rates of illicit substance use among incarcerated African American adolescent male gang members and nongang members. The policy recommendations illustrate the convergence of criminological and epidemiological theory under the new paradigm of epidemiological criminology or ??EpiCrim.??
Citation Information
Lanier, Mark M.; Pack, Robert P.; and Akers, Timothy A.. 2009. Epidemiologic Criminology: Drug Use Among African American Gang Members. Journal of Correctional Health Care. Vol.16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345809348199 https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345809348199 ISSN: 1078-3458