Delinquency by Opiate Addicts Treated at Two London Clinics

455 male and 120 female opiate addicts were treated at two London drug dependence clinics between 1968 and 1975. The delinquency pattern of 117 female addicts and of a systematic sample of 119 male addicts was analysed in relation to stages of their addiction career and outcome. Treatment had no eff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry 1979-01, Vol.134 (1), p.14-23
Main Authors: Wiepert, G. D., D'Orbán, P. T., Bewley, Thomas H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Child
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Female
Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation
Humans
London
Male
Patient Dropouts
Prognosis
Sex Factors
Social Behavior Disorders - epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
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Summary:455 male and 120 female opiate addicts were treated at two London drug dependence clinics between 1968 and 1975. The delinquency pattern of 117 female addicts and of a systematic sample of 119 male addicts was analysed in relation to stages of their addiction career and outcome. Treatment had no effect on overall crime rate but there was a significant increase in the proportion of drug offences during the treatment stage. Comparisons between the sexes showed that the outcome of treatment was worse in women. In male addicts a history of delinquency had no prognostic significance, but in females convictions for non-drug offences before entering treatment might predict poor response to treatment of drug dependence.
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.134.1.14