Ja. Phillips et al., A comparison of substance use between female inmates and female substance misusers in treatment, ALC ALCOHOL, 35(1), 2000, pp. 60-65
Recent literature documents extensive substance misuse histories among US f
emale prison inmates. The primary purpose of the present study was to deter
mine whether histories of personal and familial substance misuse distinguis
hed female inmates from substance misusers in treatment. After accounting f
or drug-related offences, we hypothesized that the inmates would have more
extensive histories of personal and familial substance misuse and that they
would have initiated substance use at an earlier age. Contrary to our expe
ctations, the two samples were similar on many measures of alcohol and drug
use. Similarly, differences in family histories of substance misuse were n
or in the predicted direction. As hypothesized, however. the inmates did re
port earlier age at onset of drinking. Of particular clinical relevance was
the finding thar despite similar alcohol consumption levels, inmates repor
ted fewer alcohol-related adverse medical, legal, and psychosocial conseque
nces than did the treatment sample.