Project 5: Risk, protection and substance misuse amongst young offenders

Richard Hammersley and Louise Marsland,
Universities of Essex and Glasgow Caledonian

A report of the first phase of this project is now available:

Hammersley R, Marsland L & Reid M (2003) Substance use by young offenders: the impact of the normalisation of drug use in the early years of the 21st century Home Office Research Study No. 261.
London: Home Office. Copies are available from the Communication Development Unit and the full report accessible on the Home Office RDS website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/

Aims and Objectives

The project has four aims:

1. To examine patterns of substance use amongst young offenders and identify relationships between substance misuse, offending and personal and social risk factors;
2. To explore the relationship between substance misuse and persistence in offending;
3. To identify which patterns of substance misuse are associated with which forms of offending and with risks of future substance abuse;
4. To identify protective factors and influences that help young offenders resist and desist drug misuse

• rationale
• methodology
• staff contacts
• project report