Gambling Harm and Crime Careers

Abstract

Incarcerated populations across the world have been found to be consistently and significantly more vulnerable to problem gambling than general populations in the same countries. In an effort to gain a more specific understanding of this vulnerability the present study applied latent class analysis and criminal career theory to gambling data collected from a sample of English and Scottish, male and female prisoners (N = 1057). Theoretical links between gambling and crime were tested through three hypotheses: (1) that prisoners in the UK would have higher rates of problem gambling behaviour than the national population; (2) that if the link between gambling and crime is coincidental, gambling behaviour would be highly prevalent in an offending population, and (3) if connections between gambling behaviour and offending are co-symptomatic a mediating factor would show a strong association. The first of these was supported, the second was not supported and the third was partially supported. Latent class analysis found six gambling behaviour clusters measured by responses to the Problem Gambling Severity Index, primarily distinguished by loss chasing behaviour. Longitudinal offending data drawn from the Police National Computer database found four criminal career types, distinguished by frequency and persistence over time. A significant association was found between higher level loss chasing and high rate offending in criminal careers suggesting that impulse control may be a mediating factor for both gambling harm and criminal careers.

Crime and Gambling Disorders: A Systematic Review

“…Blaszczynski and McConaghy (1994a) and Pastwa-Wojciechowska (2011) assertion that antisocial personality disorder is independent of gambling-related offending is striking as other studies have suggested that antisocial personality and its associated impulsive behaviours may be an underlying contributor to the commission of these crimes (e.g., May-Chahal, Humphreys, Clifton, Francis, & Reith, 2017; Meyer & Stadler, 1999). May-Chahal et al (2017) found a longitudinal link between loss-chasing and high rates of criminal behaviour that is perhaps indicative of underlying difficulties with impulse control. Similarly, Meyer and Stadler (1999) proposed that addictive gambling behaviour and impulsive antisocial personality factors directly influence criminal activity.…”

“…Where the focus of interviewing remains on offences motivated by obtaining money, participants might either fail to, or avoid, disclosing violent crimes for similar reasons. Therefore, reviewed studies relying on self-report may disguise a higher occurrence of violent gambling-related offences than the results indicate (Abbott, McKenna, & Giles, 2005;Tessenyi & Kovacs, 2016;Lloyd, Chadwick, & Serin, 2014;Templer, Kaiser, & Siscoe, 1993;May-Chahal, Humphreys, Clifton, Francis, & Reith, 2017;Preston et al, 2012;Pastwa-Wojciechowska, 2011;Turner, Preston, McAvoy, Saunders, & Jain, 2009;Blaszczynski & McConaghy, 1994a, 1994bGranero et al, , 2015Meyer & Stadler, 1999;Martin, MacDonald, & Ishiguro, 2012;Rudd & Thomas, 2016;Ledgerwood, Weinstock, Morasco, & Petry, 2007).…”

“…The analysis samples for these studies ranged from 94 to 18,625 participants. Nine studies examined problem gambling among incarcerated individuals (Abbott, McKenna, & Giles, 2005;Tessenyi & Kovacs, 2016;Lloyd, Chadwick, & Serin, 2014;Templer, Kaiser, & Siscoe, 1993;May-Chahal, Humphreys, Clifton, Francis, & Reith, 2017;Preston et al, 2012;Pastwa-Wojciechowska, 2011;Turner, Preston, McAvoy, Saunders, & Jain, 2009) and a further eight sampled from individuals seeking treatment for problem gambling from various sources including Gamblers Anonymous and in-and out-patient facilities (Blaszczynski & McConaghy, 1994a, 1994bGranero et al, , 2015Meyer & Stadler, 1999;Martin, MacDonald, & Ishiguro, 2012;Rudd & Thomas, 2016;Ledgerwood, Weinstock, Morasco, & Petry, 2007). Of the remaining studies, three used retrospective analysis of court files, police files and population surveys and statistics (or some combination; Crofts, 2003;Kuoppamäki, Kääriäinen, & Lind, 2014;Arthur, Williams, & Belanger, 2014), two sampled gamblers identified in larger cohort studies (Gorsane et al, 2017;Laursen, Plauborg, Ekholm, Larsen, & Juel, 2016), and one was a review of relevant studies in Spanish and English (Folino & Abait, 2009).…”

“…Most of the studies (N=15) assessed whether participants had previously committed a crime (gambling-related or otherwise; Blaszczynski & McConaghy, 1994a;Ledgerwood et al, 2007Meyer & Stadler, 1999;Laursen et al, 2016;Preston et al, 2012;Rudd & Thomas, 2016;Arthur et al, 2014;Martin et al, 2012;Pastwa-Wojciechowska, 2011;Turner et al, 2009). Eleven studies collected data on other potential risk factors for crime and gambling such as family dysfunction, substance use and risk-taking behaviours Tessenyi & Kovacs, 2016;Lloyd et al, 2014;Meyer & Stadler, 1999;May-Chahal et al, 2017;Preston et al, 2012;Rudd & Thomas, 2016;Arthur et al, 2014;Martin et al, 2012;Pastwa-Wojciechowska, 2011). Furthermore, five studies tested their sample for the presence of antisocial personality disorder (Blaszczynski & McConaghy, 1994a;Ledgerwood et al, 2007;Meyer & Stadler, 1999;Gorsane et al, 2017;Pastwa-Wojciechowska, 2011).…”

Prevalence of Gambling Disorder Among Prisoners: A Systematic Review

“…12 months prior to imprisonment(May-Chahal et al 2012; Turner et al, 2012;May-Chahal et al 2017). Comparatively low rates of problem gambling were recorded across UK studies,with May-Chahal et al (2012) reporting that 10.4% of males and 5.9% of females surveyed were defined as problem gamblers, and May-Chahal et al (2017) identifying that 12.1% of a sample of 1057 male and female prisoners met the criteria for problem gambling.…”