Table 3.
Age at opiate use onset and offending onset.a
| Study (lead author) |
Mean age at offending onset | Other age/offending data | Mean age at opiate use onset | Other age/drug data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander (1974) | – | Takes 17 yrs as the start point for crime classification | – | Takes 17 yrs as the start of the pre-addiction period |
| Anglin 1988 | 16.2 yrs/15.2 yrs (self-report mean age first arrest) |
– | 19.2 yrs/18.6 yrs | Mean age at addiction = 20.7 yrs/20.3 yrs |
| Beckett (1971) | – | – | – | Mean age at addiction = 20 yrs |
| Chambers (1970) | 22.4 yrs/21.2 yrs (mean age first arrest) |
– | 27.4 yrs/21.3 yrs | – |
| Cushman (1974) | – | Takes 15 yrs as the start point for crime classification | – | Takes 15 yrs as the start of the pre-addiction period Mean age at addiction = 20.5 yrs |
| Gordon (1973) | – | – | – | – |
| James (1970) | 17.2 yrs (mean age first conviction) (M) |
– | – | 50% opiate use onset at 18–19 yrs (F) Mean age first drug offence = 22.8 yrs (M) |
| James (1979) | 14.3 yrs/13.7 yrs (mean age first juvenile arrest) |
12.98 yrs/12.22 yrs (self-report mean age first criminal involvement) |
20.1 yrs/18.3 yrs | – |
| Jarvis (1989) | – | – | – | – |
| McGlothlin (1978) | 15.1 yrs/14.8 yrs (mean age first arrest) |
– | 18.6 yrs/19 yrs | Mean age at addiction = 20.4 yrs/20.9 yrs |
| Mott 1974 | – | Age first conviction: 8–14 yrs (15%)/14–17 yrs (20%)/17–21 yrs (25%) | – | 19.6 yrs = median age at start of “early opiate use” |
| Mott (1975) | – | – | – | – |
| Mott (1976) | – | Males convicted <21 yrs (35%) Females court appearance <17 yrs (38.5%) |
16.6 yrs/17 yrs | – |
| Nurco (1977) | – | – | – | Takes 14 yrs as the start of the pre- opiate use period |
| O’Donnell (1966) | – | – | – | Median age at addiction= 31.3 yrs (M) 30 yrs (F) |
| Parker (1987) | – | Analysed data by age at onset offending <16 yrs vs. >16 yrs | – | Assumes age of onset = 16 yrs (from previous work: Parker et al., 1986) |
| Vorenberg (1973) | – | – | – | Mean age at addiction = 21 yrs |
| Weissman (1974) | – | – | – | Majority (39%) 13–20 yrs (assumes age at first drug arrest as onset age) |
| Weissman (1976) | – | – | – | 41% 18–21 yrs at addiction (daily use) |
| Wiepert (1979) | – | Males convicted < 17.3 yrs (32%) Females convicted < 16.7 yrs (12%) |
– | – |
| Mean (95% CI) | 16.7 yrs (14.3–19.0) | 19.6 yrs (17.4–21.8) |
a
None of the before/after studies reported a within-client SD for delay (opiate use onset-CJS onset).