DRUG OFFENDERS IN TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES: A CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Using data collected from nationwide surveys of drug-using offenders in the United States and Taiwan, this article compares offender differences with respect to socio-demographic characteristics, childhood experiences, drug use and treatment patterns, and criminal histories. The results suggest that the experiences of U.S. drug-using offenders are more complex, with multiple routes and consequences of drug use, while the social constructionist view is more appropriate to explain the experience of Taiwanese drug-using offenders. Overall, U.S. drug-using offenders reported earlier drug and criminal involvement, experienced more prior arrests, and committed more non-drug-related crimes. Family problems were more prevalent among U.S. drug-using offenders than Taiwanese drug-using offenders. Drug-using offenders in the U.S. also reported using a variety of different drugs and participating in multiple treatment programs. The major agents supplying illicit drugs were known dealers, and friends or acquaintances of U.S. and Taiwanese drug-using offenders, respectively. The article concludes that to effectively eliminate the problem of drug misuse, the Taiwanese government should focus on treatment instead of imprisonment, while the U.S. should target troubled teens and families.

• Survey
• Drug-using offenders
• Drug war
• Cross-cultural analysis

Notes

¹Prisons were in the Northern, Central, and Southern regions of Taiwan.

²The three female prisons were also geographically dispersed throughout Taiwan. Although the majority of female prisoners were housed in these three female prisons, some female prisoners were still housed in segregated areas of male prisons.

³Since the admission date for each drug offender varied, the larger study focuses on drug user offenders who completed the three-month prison-based drug user treatment program and were awaiting final approval for parole. This will ensure potential respondents for the follow-up interviews, which were conducted about 12 months after release from prison. Focusing on those awaiting parole might generate a sample slightly skewed toward older offenders. Although each incarcerated drug-using offender was sentenced for at least one year, parole was generally granted after successful completion of the 3-month prison drug treatment program. Thus, the age bias of the Taiwanese sample was not significant.

⁴Occasionally, prison guards entered the room to ensure order, but they were out of hearing distance during the entire interview. Although the project was approved by the government, prison officials never asked to see the questionnaires before or after the interviews.

⁵For a detail description of the data collection process, see http://www.icpsr.umich.edu

⁶The prison-based drug abuse treatment program consists of a variety of lecture courses. The subject matter involves physical training, vocational training, psychological counseling, legal counseling, and employment training.

⁷The rate for drug-related arrests was based on data obtained from the following two sources: (1) Crime Statistics [54] and (2) Taiwan Statistical Data Book 55-56.