Crime-Specific Recidivism in Criminal Justice Clients with Substance Use - a Cohort Study

Abstract Background: Criminal recidivism is a major global concern. There is a well-known relation between substance use disorders and offending. Yet, little is known about crime-specific recidivism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between specific substance use and crime-specific recidivism. Methods: The study is based on 4,207 Swedish prison clients with substance use assessed with Addiction Severity Index interviews between 2001 and 2006. Clients were followed for an average of 2.7 years. Risk factors for criminal recidivism were assessed with Cox regression analysis. Results: Sixty-eight percent of the clients returned to the criminal justice system. Apart from well-known risk factors such as male gender and young age, amphetamine, injection drug use, prior prosecution for violent and property crime as well as homelessness and psychiatric problems were risk factors for criminal recidivism. Sedatives and cannabis were in this setting negative risk factors for general recidivism. Age, heroin and injection drug use elevated risks of recidivism to property and drug crime. Alcohol was associated with violent recidivism. Conclusions: Looking at different categories of crime separately, risk factors differed substantially. This further highlight the need for crime-specific research. Identifying crime-specific risk factors should be an important part of improving rehabilitation into society after imprisonment and hopefully decrease recidivism.