Citation

Nelson SE, Belkin K, LaPlante DA, Bosworth LB, Shaffer HJ. Arch. Sci. Psychol. 2015; 3(1): 8-17.

Affiliation

Harvard Medical School ; Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, American Psychological Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

26539339

Abstract

Psychiatric comorbidity has emerged as a key element distinguishing DUI offenders from others, and, in some cases, distinguishing repeat offenders from first-time offenders. This paper utilizes a prospective design to determine whether the comorbid disorders identified among repeat DUI offenders can predict recidivism. Seven hundred forty-three repeat DUI offenders were recruited from a two-week inpatient treatment program at which they received a standardized mental health assessment and followed across five years post-treatment to track DUI offense, motor vehicle-related offenses, and general criminal offenses. Psychiatric comorbidity, though it did not predict DUI recidivism specifically, predicted criminal re-offense more generally. In addition, there was a specific relationship between lifetime attention deficit disorder and repeated motor vehicle-related offenses. These findings suggest that for many repeat offenders, DUI is one outlet in a constellation of criminal behavior, and that psychiatric comorbidity increases vulnerability for criminal re-offense.

Language: en