Participation in Crime Partnerships by Female Drug Users: The Effects of Domestic Arrangements, Drug Use, and Criminal Involvement*

Abstract

Research findings on the crime patterns of women suggest that social changes in gender roles are associated with increased female criminality. Some researchers note that the increasing participation of women in established criminal organizations increases female crime levels in general, Other researchers demonstrate that involvement with deviant boyfriends or husbands in particular not only introduces women to addictive drugs, but also contributes to greater crime participation. Measures of the domestic network, crime commitment, drug use, ethnicity, and participation in vice and predatory crimes are used to focus on women's formation and participation in crime partnerships. Findings reveal that ethnicity, living with boyfriends or husbands, high levels of crime commission, particularly while carrying weapons, and participating in vice and predatory crimes are factors that are shared by a number of crime partnerships. On the other hand, having children raised by others, a history of incarceration and arrest, and opiate use are factors that are important for specific crime partnerships; therefore, these factors are unique considerations that relate to the likelihood that criminal partnerships will develop.

Partners in crime

“…This was also found in research into adult heroin addicts by Covington (1985), where the men were in charge of organizing the thefts to obtain the money to purchase the drugs. Pettiway (1987) reached the same conclusion from his study of adult female drug users in Miami and New York.…”

Reentry and the (Unmet) Needs of Women

“…In fact, research reveals that involvement with deviant men increases the likelihood that women will participate in criminal activity (Pettiway, 1987;Wright, Capsi, Moffitt, & Silva. 2001).…”

Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Delinquency Involvement

“…While a heightened interest in the opposite sex is a central characteristic of adolescence (Collins, 2003;Sullivan, 1953), much of the research on delinquency emphasizes the influence of peers (for example, Akers, Krohn, Lanza-Kaduce and Rodosevich, 1979;Elliott, Huizinga, and Ageton, 1985;Elliott and Menard, 1996;Haynie, 2001Haynie, , 2002Kandel, 1978;Matsueda, 1982;Matsueda and Anderson, 1998;Matsueda and Heimer, 1987;Reiss, 1986;Short, 1957;Warr, 2002). Although the criminological literature has suggested that romantically linked males may initiate females into crime and/or delinquency (for example, Gold, 1970;Magnusson, 1992;Miller, 1986;Pettiway, 1987;Steffensmeier, 1983;Steffensmeier and Allan, 1996;Steffensmeier and Terry, 1986;Warr, 2002), examination of influence dynamics in adolescence has been limited primarily to peer influence. This study draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and examines whether romantic partner delinquency has an effect on adolescent delinquency, once the well-documented influence of peers has been taken into account.…”