Stress of police officers is assumed to be one of the causes for an increased use of force, but to date, very few studies have tested this relationship empirically. This study examines influences of perceived work-related stress, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and burnout on the use of force by police officers in Zurich, Switzerland ( n = 422). A new approach is developed by including the officer's routine activities (herein referred to as job profile) and victimization experiences as two situational controls and by capturing a continuum of self-reported force used in typical operational situations. Although bivariate results show significant relationships between use of force and work stress, job satisfaction, commitment, and burnout, multivariate analyses using structural equation models show no influence of stress-related factors on the amount of force. The job profile remains the only predictor of police use of force, whereas victimization is strongly correlated with use of force.

Illicit opioid use in Canada and elsewhere increasingly involves a variety of opioids and non-injection routes of administration. Injection and non-injection opioid users tend to differ in various key characteristics. From a public health perspective, non-injection routes of opioid use tend to be less harmful due to lesser morbidity and mortality risks. Our study compared current injectors (80%) and non-injectors (20%) in a multi-site sample of regular illicit opioid users from across Canada (‘OPICAN’ study). In bivariate analysis, injectors and non-injectors differed by prevalence in social and health characteristics as well as drug use. Logistic regression analysis identified city, drug use, housing status and mental health problems as independent predictors of injection status. Further analysis revealed that the majority of current non-injectors had an injection history. Our results reinforce the need to explore potential interventions aimed at preventing the transition from non-injectors to injecting, or facilitating the transition of injectors to non-injecting, as initiated in several other contexts.

Criminal activities account for a major proportion of the social costs related to illicit drug use. This article examines the factors contributing to property crime activity among a community sample of 653 untreated regular illicit opiate users in 5 Canadian cities (OPICAN study). Multivariate analyses showed the frequency of heroin, cocaine, and crack use, gender, housing status, and past criminal justice involvement as predictors of property crime. Furthermore, crack use had a significantly different impact on property crime depending on housing status and city. These

No abstract

Unterschiede zwischen Ko-Gebrauchern von Kokain und Crack bei kanadischen Opioid-Konsumenten <B>Fragestellung:</B> Es wurden Unterschiede zwischen Ko-Gebrauchern von Kokain und Crack in einer kanadischen Kohorte illegaler Opioid-Konsumenten (»OPICAN«) untersucht. </P><P> <B>Methodik:</B> Kohortenteilnehmer wurden durch Schneeball-Methoden rekrutiert und mittels eines standardisierten Instrumenten-Protokolls befragt. Prävalenzraten verschiedener Substanzen sowie Unterschiede zwischen ausgewählten Indikatoren und den beiden Subgruppen wurden bivariat geprüft. </P><P> <B>Ergebnisse:</B> Zirka die Hälfte der Studienteilnehmer indizierten Ko-Konsum von Crack beziehungsweise Kokain. Erstere Gruppe zeichnete sich primär durch sozioökonomische Marginalisierung, zweitere durch eine höhere Prävalenz von Depression aus. </P><P> <B>Schlussfolgerungen:</B> Ko-Gebraucher von Opioiden mit Kokain und Crack in Kanada können als distinkte Subkulturen mit spezifischen Risikofaktoren angesehen werden. Ausgewählte Implikationen für Interventionen werden angesprochen.