Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

....197heard of methadone treatment as a way of overcoming illegal drug use (table 16).Of these, almost three-quarters believe methadone treatment is good withoutqualification, while an additional 7 percent feel that, on the whole, it is good,but still have some reservations about it (table 16a)Personal and social characteristicsAge and education.—About a third of addicts and nonaddicts are 21 yearsold or younger and two-thirds are under 30 (table 17). More than 75 percentof the two groups have had some high school education, and 25 percenit reportgraduating from high school (table 18).Parents.—Approximately 80 percent of addicts and nonaddicts claim to havebeen reared by their biological parents (table 19). At the same time, a greaternumber of addicts as compared to nonaddicts report that both of their parentsare stSll living (table 20).Among those whose parent (s) are deceased, about 50 percent of the addictswere less than 16 when one or both parents died, while about half of the nonaddictswere between 16 and 21 when death of parent (s) occurred (tables 20aand 20b).Siblings.—Compared to addicts, nonaddicts tend to have more brothers andsisters. Thirty percent of nonaddicts have four or more brothers and 20 percenthave four or more sisters compared to 15 and 11 percent respectively foraddicts (tables 21 and 21a).Religion.—Both addicts and nonaddicts are more likely to be members ofProtestant seots than other religious groups. At the same time, a significantlygreater number of nonaddicts compared to addicts report religious aflBliation(table 22). Furthermore, while there was noticeably more frequent attendanceat religious ser\iees during childhood among both groups, significantly morenonaddiots compared to addicts claim to attend services at present (tables 22aand 22b).Martial status.—The majority of both addicts and nonaddicts are single (table23). Among those who are married, slightly more addicts report having beenmarried for 2 years or less (table 23a). Both groups have experienced a highincidence of separation from their spouses—60 percent on the average (table 23b).Employment status.—Significantly more nonaddicts than addicts were employedat time of arrest (table 24). The majority of both groups were employed by tht*time they reached 18 years of age (table 24a) and the usual type of employmentfor both groups is unskilled labor (table 24b) . More than half of both groups havebeen employed at three or le.ss places during the past 5 years (table 24c).Residence.—Neither group is very mobile. Twenty-three percent of the nonaddictsand 33 percent of the addicts have resided at the same home for thepast 5 years. Over 70 percent of the two groups have changed their residencesless than three times during the past 5 years (table 25). Further, about halfof both groups resided for more than 1 year at the home in which they wereliving at the time of their arrest ( table 25a )Income.—Almost two-thirds of addicts and nonaddicts supported themselvesfinancially at time of arrest. Twenty percent were dependent on their parents(table 26). About half of both groups reported that the weekly income of thehome in which they were living when arrested was between $51 and $150 (table26a).City of Birth.—Significantly more addicits were born and spent most of theirchildhood in large cities as compared to nonaddicts (tables 27 and 27a).Military service.—Between 25 and 29 percent of the two groups served in themilitary (table 28). Nonaddicts had slightly more years of service (table 28a)and 70 percent of both groups, on the average, reported having had honorabledischarges (table 28b)Criminal offenses.—In terms of pre.sent offenses, addicts are charged withmore offenses against property and drug violations—37 and 15 percent respectivelyas comapred with 30 and 6 percent respectively for nonaddicts. Non-addictsare charged are larceny and theft, while nonaddicts are not charged with anyaddicts (21 percent). However, three of the four criminal homicides reportedwere charged against addicts. The most frequent crimes with which addictsare charge are larceny and theft, while nonaddicts are not charged with anysingle offense with outstanding frequency ( table 29 )