This paper investigates the relationship between chronic drug use and the health care system. Data from 536 African-American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White men and women were analyzed to determine independent risk factors for three outcome variables: 1) Need for health care treatment, 2) Utilization of health care treatment, and 3) Failure to receive needed treatment. Nine independent demographic, health, and drug-use history variables were assessed in logistic regression models. Chronic drug users were more likely in the past year to need health care treatment, were as likely to receive some health care treatment, and were more likely not to receive needed treatment than were nonusers.

Structural and process characteristics of drug courts may have a major influence on offender outcomes. However, despite the existence of dozens of outcome evaluations in the drug court literature, it is impossible to draw clear conclusions regarding variability in outcomes in relation to drug court characteristics. We describe existing approaches to the description of drug court structure and process and argue that a new approach is needed. To address that need, we propose a conceptual framework of five drug court dimensions: leverage, population severity, program intensity, predictability, and rehabilitation emphasis. These dimensions, each scorable on a range from low to high, lend themselves to a systematic set of hypotheses regarding the effects of structure and process on drug court outcomes. Finally, we propose quantitative and qualitative methods for identifying such effects.

This article compares the health care need and health care use of injection drug users, other chronic drug users, and nondrug users. Data from 1,330 non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic/Latino men and women were analyzed to determine independent risk factors for two outcome variables: (a) need for health care treatment and (b) use of health care treatment. Ten independent demographic, health, and drug use variables were assessed in logistic regression models. Drug use (injection drug use or other chronic drug use), being female, having insurance, and perceived health status of very good/good or fair/poor were independently associated with increased need for health care. Injection drug use and other chronic drug use decreased the likelihood of receiving health care treatment, whereas being female, having insurance, and a perceived health status of fair/poor increased the likelihood of receiving health care.

Past studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between religiosity and such problem behaviors as crime, delinquency, alcoholism, and substance use. Religiosity may be a protective factor against problem behaviors. Recently, a new problematic behavior has emerged, Internet pornography. Popular Christian literature has suggested that Internet pornography use is common among Christians. However, there have been few research studies examining this issue in Christian populations. This study examined the extent of Internet pornography use among 751 males and females who were attending a conservative Christian university, perceived consequences and benefits of viewing, and the relationship between internal, external and quest religiosity and Internet pornography use. Findings suggest that the majority of males had some involvement in Internet pornography, but regular viewing was significantly lower than has been found in the general population. Internal and external religiosity showed only a weak, though statistically significant, inverse relationship with regular Internet pornography use.