Evaluating the Effects of Substance Use and Education on the Likelihood of Arrest Among Hispanics Lorna Alvarez-Rivera, Ph.D., & R. Neal McIntyre, Jr., DPA Valdosta State University

Introduction The current body of research that exists pertaining to Latinos and crime lacks consensus on the magnitude and even the nature of the issue. This paper attempts to contribute to the literature on ethnicity and crime by discussing crime among Latinos. Specifically, it examines the effect of substance use and education on criminality among Latinos. Examining the link between Latinos and crime is of great importance at a time when the Hispanic population in the U.S. has reached an all-time high of 16.7% is expected to continue to grow (U.S. Census, 2011).

Background Members of many ethnic minorities in the U.S. report higher rates of substance use, particularly alcohol abuse, than do Whites (Caetano & Clark, 1998) It has been hypothesized that ethnic minorities may turn to alcohol and substance use as a means to reduce stress associated with being acculturated into American society. Of the ethnic minorities in the U.S., Hispanics are currently the fastest growing group and are expected to constitute 25% of the U.S. population by 2050

Background Given their levels of poverty, minority status, and residential concentration in areas with wide drug and alcohol distribution, Latina/os are considered at risk for substance abuse (Gil & Vega, 2001) Trends suggest that substance abuse among Latina/os is increasing (Caetano, Baruah, & Chartier, 2011; Warner et al., 2006) In addition, Latina/os tend to be stereotyped as being uneducated

Background The perception of being uneducated and living in impoverished, high crime areas impact life chances for Latina/os Reduced opportunities to succeed through conventional means could increase the potential for criminality and subsequent arrest for Latina/os.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to add to the body of current research focusing on Hispanics by evaluating the effects of substance use (including alcohol) and education on the likelihood of arrest among Hispanics in the U.S.

Methodology The current study is a secondary analysis of data derived from the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2004. Binary logistic regression models are used to determine the effect of ethnicity, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mental health, and education on the likelihood of arrest, controlling for a series of variables

Hypotheses History of substance and alcohol abuse will predict the likelihood of being arrested Lower levels of educational achievement will predict the likelihood of being arrested Presence of mental illness will predict the likelihood of being arrested Ethnicity will significantly predict the likelihood of being arrested

Descriptive Statistics of Dependent Variables Mean Std. Dev. Drug 54520 .01 .087 Propcrime 54519 .107 Viocrime 54522 Crimhist 55443 .16 .366

Descriptive Statistics of Independent Variables Mean Std. Dev Married 55602 .26 .439 Workforce 55581 .54 .499 Female .52 .500 Education .32 .467 Hispanic .14 .348 Government Program 1.82 .382 Alcohol Abuse 21272 1.2 .402 Drug Abuse 21380 1.21 .405 Mental Health 26702 1.11 .313

Property Crime Arrests Results   Ever Arrested/Booked (Crimhist) Violent Crime Arrests (Viocrime) Property Crime Arrests (Propcrime) Any Drug Arrest (Drug) Model 1 b (se) Exp (B) Model 2 Model 3 Model 4 Married -.110 (.049) .896* -1.801 (.374) .165*** -2.417 (.461) .089*** -1.909 (.401) .148*** Workforce 1.088 (.055) 2.968*** .246 (.182) 1.279 .358 (.163) 1.431* .511 (.217) 1.667* Female -1.161 (.047) .313*** -.953 (.190) .386*** -.639 (.165) .528*** -1.188 (.230) 305*** Education -.089 (.048) .915 -.945 (.264) .389*** -1.528 (.291) .217*** -.304 (.247) .738 Hispanic .022 (.073) 1.022 -.072 (.285) .930 -.315 .730 -.361 (.371) .697 Government Program -.460 (.072) .631*** -.814 (.225) .443*** -.187 (.253) .829 -.811 (.263) .444** Alcohol Abuse .045 (.200) 1.046 .961 (.641) 2.615 -.273 (.794) .761 (.884) Drug Abuse -.067 (.203) .935 -.873 (.692) .418 .008 (.811) 1.008 .252 (.895) 1.286 Mental Health .126 (.095) 1.134 -.128 (.373) .880 .279 (.367) 1.322 -.200 (.399) .819

Results Married respondents were approximately 10% less likely to have been arrested, 83% less likely to have been arrested for a violent crime, 91% less likely to have been arrested for a property crime, and 85% less likely to have been arrested for a drug offense in comparison to those who reported not being married. Those who reported working were approximately 3 times more likely to have been arrested for a crime, 1.4 times more likely to have been arrested for a property crime, and 1.7 times more likely to have been arrested for a drug offense in comparison to those who were not working.

Results Females were approximately 69% less likely to have ever been arrested, 41% less likely to have ever been arrested for a violent crime, 47% less likely to have ever been arrested for a property crime, and 69% less likely to have ever been arrested for a drug offense. Respondents with more than a high school education were approximately 61% less likely to have ever been arrested for a violent crime and 78% less likely to have ever been arrested for a property crime. Respondents who had participated in one or more government programs were approximately 37% less likely to have ever been arrested, 56% less likely to have been arrested for a violent crime, and 56% less likely to have been arrested for a drug offense in comparison to those who have never participated in any governmental programs.

Conclusions Drug and alcohol abusers were not more likely to report being arrested in comparison to those who do not or have not abused alcohol or drugs Individuals with lower educational levels were more likely to be arrested for violent and property crimes. Those who reported to have suffered mental illness were not more likely to have been arrested Hispanic respondents were not more likely to have been arrested in comparison to non-Hispanics.