Chapter 7: Substance Use and Crime:

Substance use

Part of the Central 8 risk factors linked to criminal behavior, with static and dynamic components addressable through intervention.

Substance use disorders

Clinical diagnosis or problematic substance use based on a formal diagnostic system.

Brain Disease Model of Addictions (BDMA)

States addiction is a chronic relapsing disease altering brain structure and function.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter controlling brain's reward, motivation, and pleasure centers, linked to drug-induced euphoria.

Genetics

Inherited factors influencing susceptibility to substance-related problems, including dopamine receptor availability.

Choice Model

Views addiction as a rational choice for short-term rewards despite long-term consequences, influenced by contextual factors.

Self-Medication Model

Individuals use drugs to cope with stress, trauma, or abuse, leading to addiction as a problem rather than a solution.

Developmental-Learning Model of Addiction

Addiction as learned behavior modifying synaptic pathways, advocating for an integrated perspective.

Goldstein’s Tripartite Model

Links substance use and crime through psychopharmacological, economic/compulsive, and systemic pathways.

Brochu’s Core Integrative Model

Explains drug/crime relationships through drug-related consumption stages, risk factors, deviant lifestyle, and influencing patterns of drug use.

Gender Differences

Females may use drugs as coping mechanisms, while males may do so due to peer pressure and pleasure.

Acquisitive crimes

Illegally obtaining material gains to support drug use, linked to the degree of intoxication and individual predispositions.

Assessment approaches

Cornerstone of effective correctional intervention, serving multiple objectives simultaneously.

Treatment Approaches

Governed by Canadian legislation, including harm reduction, drug treatment courts, and corrections-based substance use treatment programs.

Methadone Maintenance Programs

Suppress opioid withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, prevent intoxication, and decrease criminal conduct.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Client-centered therapy emphasizing empathy and support for change, often used in combination with other interventions.