Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants and Procedures
2.2. Measures
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Study 1
3.2. Study 2
3.2.1. Involvement in Criminal Behavior
I was following a “boss” at that time. That was in my early twenties. We had several people who worked for the “boss”. We ran lots of businesses including drug trafficking and dealing, gambling, a usurious loan business, etc. We also provided paid “protection” for Karaoke rooms and night clubs. Sometimes, we had to fight against other gangs, to protect our places and markets. Of course, there were injuries. We had weapons, like guns, but we seldom used them actually; they were only for deterrence. (Jiang (“Jiang” is the pseudonym to replace the real name of the participant, in order to protect his privacy. The same hereinafter), male, 30 years old, with five-year history of methamphetamine use).
I was sentenced for two years of imprisonment for robbery. I did it with a few friends. We actually did not mean to fight the victim, it was just for money. We needed money to live and to buy drugs. (Huo, male, 30 years old, with nine-year history of heroin use, and occasional methamphetamine use).
It was when I was with my friends. As a group, we fought against another group. Both sides had guns. I really had no idea of where each group got the gun from. The guys handled the weapons as for us girls just joined them. (Tong, female, 25 years old, with one-year history of methamphetamine use).
I have used drug for many years. I need it every day, so I need money. Drug users mainly do drug dealing and trafficking to earn money, because it is a quick fix and needs no specialized skills. It is an easy way to make money. I, sometimes, do it just to support my own drug use. I don’t consider myself to be a heavy-duty drug trafficker. I think capable men can do that kind of job and not women like me. (Su, female, 25 years old, with eight-year history of poly drug use, mainly methamphetamine and cocaine, and occasional use of ketamine).
We need the money to buy drugs, that’s why we, sometimes, steal. I remember one day my boyfriend and I, together with other friends, went to a cybercafé and stole several mobile phones. We then sold them and got money. (Dan, female, 21 years old, with five-year history of heroin and methamphetamine use).
3.2.2. Drug Use, Mental Health Problems, and Criminal Career
We did many things, including extorting money, running sex work and gambling, usurious loans, trafficking and dealing drugs, and gathering crowds in order to engage in affray. I had several subordinates in the gang. Wherever I went, my boys treated me with drugs and ladies. That was just my lifestyle. I like drugs, they make me happy. (Ling, male, 23 years old, with three-year history of methamphetamine use).
I think it (methamphetamine) has some psychological effects. After using it, I could do anything that I wouldn’t dare do before taking it. I would feel powerful, and could afford to do anything. I fought people after using methamphetamine. I feared nothing. That feeling was good and a sense of achievement so to say. (Xia, male, 24 years old, with six-year history of poly drug use, mainly methamphetamine and cocaine, also occasional use of other non-opiates).
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | Criminal Behavior n = 333 n (%)/M (SD) | No Criminal Behavior n = 1014 n (%)/M (SD) | |
---|---|---|---|
Gender *** | Female | 68 (20.4%) | 401 (39.5%) |
Male | 265 (79.6%) | 609 (60.1%) | |
N/A | 0 | 4 (0.4%) | |
Age | 25.92 (3.035) | 25.83 (3.258) | |
Religious belief ** | No | 263 (79.0%) | 856 (84.4%) |
Yes | 52 (15.6%) | 93 (9.2%) | |
N/A | 18 (5.4%) | 65 (6.4%) | |
Education level | Primary school and under | 76 (22.8%) | 204 (20.2%) |
Middle school | 148 (44.4%) | 460 (45.4%) | |
High school (including vocational high school) | 75 (22.5%) | 236 (23.3%) | |
Junior college and above | 29 (8.7%) | 99 (9.9%) | |
N/A | 5 (1.5%) | 15 (1.5%) | |
Marital status + | Single (including divorced and widowed) | 198 (59.5%) | 637 (62.8%) |
Married (including cohabitation) | 134 (40.2%) | 356 (35.1%) | |
N/A | 1 (0.3%) | 21 (2.1%) | |
Emotional abuse *** | No | 226 (67.9%) | 793 (78.2%) |
Yes | 103 (30.9%) | 184 (18.1%) | |
N/A | 4 (1.2%) | 37 (3.6%) | |
Physical abuse *** | No | 257 (77.2%) | 858 (84.6%) |
Yes | 72 (21.6%) | 116 (11.4%) | |
N/A | 4 (1.2%) | 40 (3.9%) | |
Drug initiation age *** | 19.5 (3.165) | 20.31 (3.554) | |
SDS | 48.4481 (10.92) | 46.8206 (10.69) | |
Normal range (under 50) | 147 (44.1%) | 486 (47.9%) | |
Mildly depressed (50–59) | 87 (26.1%) | 216 (21.3%) | |
Moderately depressed (60–69) | 28 (8.4%) | 83 (8.2%) | |
Severely depressed (70 and over) | 8 (2.4%) | 12 (1.2%) | |
N/A | 63 (18.9%) | 217 (21.4%) |
Variable | Model 1 n = 1347 (Criminal = 1) | Model 2 n = 333 (Violent = 1) |
---|---|---|
Gender (Male = 1) | 0.223 *** | 0.344 *** |
Age | 0.079 * | 0.108 + |
Religious belief (Yes = 1) | 0.080 ** | 0.100 + |
Education level | −0.083 ** | 0.049 |
Marital status (Married = 1) | 0.032 | −0.017 |
Emotional abuse (Yes = 1) | 0.097 ** | −0.149 * |
Physical abuse (Yes= 1) | 0.099 ** | −0.017 |
Drug initiation age | −0.162 *** | −0.186 ** |
Crime first or drug use first (Crime first = 1) | 0.296 *** | |
SDS | 0.053 + | 0.140 * |
Variable | Drug Users with Violent Criminal History n = 165 n (%)/M (SD) | Drug Users with Non-Violent Criminal History n = 168 n (%)/M (SD) | |
---|---|---|---|
Gender *** | Female | 10 (6.1%) | 58 (34.5%) |
Male | 155 (93.9%) | 110 (65.5%) | |
Age | 26.33 (3.00) | 25.51 (3.02) | |
Religious belief | No | 132 (80%) | 131 (78%) |
Yes | 27 (16.4%) | 25 (14.9%) | |
N/A | 6 (3.6%) | 12 (7.1%) | |
Education level | Primary school and under | 35 (21.2%) | 41 (24.4%) |
Middle school | 80 (48.5%) | 68 (40.5%) | |
High school (including vocational high school) | 37 (22.4%) | 38 (22.6%) | |
Junior college and above | 11 (6.6%) | 18 (10.7%) | |
N/A | 2 (1.2%) | 3 (1.8%) | |
Marital status | Single (including divorced and widowed) | 97 (58.8%) | 101 (60.1%) |
Married (including cohabitation) | 68 (41.2%) | 66 (39.3%) | |
N/A | 0 | 1 (0.6%) | |
Emotional abuse * | No | 122 (73.9%) | 104 (61.9%) |
Yes | 41 (24.8%) | 62 (36.9%) | |
N/A | 2 (1.2%) | 2 (1.2%) | |
Physical abuse | No | 130 (78.8%) | 127 (75.6%) |
Yes | 33 (20.0%) | 39 (23.2%) | |
N/A | 2 (1.2%) | 2 (1.2%) | |
Drug initiation age | 19.56 (3.087) | 19.45 (3.248) | |
Crime first or drug use first *** | Drug use first | 96 (58.2%) | 135 (80.4%) |
Crime first | 69 (41.8%) | 33 (19.6%) | |
Crime Types (Violent) | Physical injury | 138 (83.6%) | 0 |
Robbery | 31 (18.8%) | 0 | |
Rape | 9 (5.5%) | 0 | |
Murder | 6 (3.6%) | 0 | |
Crime Types (Non-violent) | Drug-related | 44 (26.7%) | 126 (75.0%) |
Sex-related (other than rape) | 2 (1.2%) | 6 (3.6%) | |
Larceny | 29 (17.6%) | 23 (13.7%) | |
Illegal weapon possession | 18 (10.9%) | 12 (7.1%) | |
Forgery | 4 (2.4%) | 1 (0.6%) | |
Arson | 4 (2.4%) | 1 (0.6%) | |
Misbehavior during probation or parole | 18 (10.9%) | 20 (11.9%) | |
SDS | 49.540 (11.22) | 47.3556 (10.55) | |
Normal range (under 50) | 68 (41.2%) | 79 (47%) | |
Mildly depressed (50–59) | 50 (30.3%) | 37 (22%) | |
Moderately depressed (60–69) | 11 (6.7%) | 17 (10.1%) | |
Severely depressed (70 and over) | 6 (3.6%) | 2 (1.2%) | |
N/A | 30 (18.2%) | 33 (19.6%) |
Variable | n = 13 n (%)/M (Range) | |
---|---|---|
Gender | Female | 8 (61.5%) |
Male | 5 (38.5%) | |
Age | 23.6 (16–30) | |
Education level | Primary school and under | 2 (15.4%) |
Middle school | 10 (76.9%) | |
High school (including vocational high school) | 0 (0%) | |
Junior college and above | 1 (7.7%) | |
Marital status | Single (including divorced and widowed) | 12 (92.3%) |
Married (including cohabitation) | 1 (7.7%) | |
Drug initiation age | 18.6 (14–24) | |
Drug used | Heroin | 4 (30.8%) |
Methamphetamine | 13 (100%) | |
Other | 3 (23.1%) | |
Criminal Experiences | Violent crime | 6 (46.2%) |
Non-violent crime | 13 (100%) |
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Liu, L.; Chui, W.H.; Chen, Y. Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 432. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030432
Liu L, Chui WH, Chen Y. Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15(3):432. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030432
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiu, Liu, Wing Hong Chui, and Ye Chen. 2018. "Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 3: 432. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030432