Citation

Lanier MM, Pack RP, Akers TA. J. Correct. Health Care 2010; 16(1): 6-16.

Affiliation

Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, National Commission on Correctional Health Care (USA), Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1078345809348199

PMID

19864259

Abstract

Epidemiological methods and public health theories can be tied to theories of crime and delinquency and used to create evidence-based policy. Interdisciplinary theoretical approaches to existing, and emerging, public health and criminal justice problems hold great promise. Differential association theory postulates that close association with delinquent peers leads to an increase in deviant activities such as illicit drug use. Social cognitive theory postulates that health behavior change is driven by the interaction of (a) cognitive states that support a health outcome, (b) the social and contextual environment, (c) and individual action. Combined, these theories can be applied to drug eradication programs as well as other health and crime issues. Focus groups and interviews were performed to identify rates of illicit substance use among incarcerated African American adolescent male gang members and nongang members. The policy recommendations illustrate the convergence of criminological and epidemiological theory under the new paradigm of epidemiological criminology or "EpiCrim."

Language: en