The Geography of Drug Abuse Epidemiology Among Probationers in Baltimore

Substance use is a pervasive health problem that contributes significantly to the recycling of offenders through the justice system. This study uses routine activities theory as a framework to determine whether the availability of illicit drugs in a probationer’s immediate residential environment is associated with their use of illegal substances. Combining narcotics-related calls for police service data, interviews with offenders, life history event calendars, and biological drug test results, a clustered-logit regression model of 250 drug-involved probationers indicates that the availability of drugs within the probationer’s immediate area is associated with a higher probability of testing positive for illicit substances. The results suggest a broader epidemiological framework to understand how environment affects drug use. Further research in this area will improve supervision practices of drug-involved individuals and interventions to reduce drug use.