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OBJECTIVE: To document the sexual assault disclosure experiences of historically black college or university (HBCU) students. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3,951 female, undergraduate students at 4 HBCUs. METHODS: All women at the participating schools were recruited in November 2008 to participate in a Web-based survey including both closed- and open-ended questions. Survey data were weighted for nonresponse bias. RESULTS: The majority of sexual assault survivors disclosed their experience to someone close to them, but disclosure to formal supports, particularly law enforcement agencies, was extremely rare. Nonreporters had concerns about the seriousness of the incident and their privacy. On the basis of qualitative data, strategies identified by students to increase reporting included more education and awareness about sexual assault, more survivor services and alternative mechanisms for reporting, and better strategies for protecting the confidentiality of survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Official sexual assault victimization data are of limited utility in conveying the extent of sexual assault among HBCU students, and efforts to increase reporting, such as peer education and enhanced confidentiality procedures, are needed.

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Despite the evidence that young and minority women may be particularly vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), there is little research on the IPV experiences of minority undergraduate women. This study addresses this gap by estimating the prevalence of IPV and examining factors associated with experiencing IPV among undergraduate women attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). Findings suggest alarmingly high victimization rates; however, factors associated with IPV among HBCU women are similar to those found in prior research with women in the general population. The results also suggest that some risk factors are differentially associated with experiencing specific types of IPV.

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Although research has shown that undergraduate women are at high risk for experiencing sexual assault, little research has been conducted with undergraduate women who are attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU). The purpose of this research is to document the prevalence of different types of sexual assault among undergraduate women at HBCUs and make comparisons to data collected from undergraduate women at non-HBCUs. Data on sexual assault victimization were collected from 3,951 undergraduate women at HBCUs using a cross-sectional, web-based survey. These data are compared to data collected from 5,446 undergraduate women at non-HBCUs using the same research methods. Findings indicate that approximately 9.7% of undergraduate women at HBCUs report experiencing a completed sexual assault since entering college. This rate is considerably lower than the comparable rate obtained from undergraduate women at non-HBCUs (13.7%). This difference seems to be associated with differences in alcohol-use frequency. Perhaps undergraduate women at HBCUs drink alcohol much less frequently and are thus less likely to be sexually assaulted when they are incapacitated and unable to provide consent. Alcohol use frequency, while controlling for other factors, seems to have an independent association with the likelihood of an undergraduate woman being sexually assaulted. Implications for the creation and delivery of sexual assault risk reduction and prevention policies and programs are discussed.

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PURPOSE: We sought to examine relationships between women's sexual orientations and their sexual assault experiences before and during university. METHODS: Self-reported responses on a web-based survey of 5,439 female undergraduates who participated in the Campus Sexual Assault study were analyzed to compare three groups: bisexuals, lesbians, and heterosexuals. Groups were compared in terms of the prevalence of sexual assault before and during university, and the extent to which sexual assault before university predicted sexual assault during university. FINDINGS: The prevalence of sexual assault before and during university was higher among bisexuals and lesbians compared with heterosexuals (25.4% of bisexuals, 22.4% of lesbians, and 10.7% of heterosexuals were sexually assaulted before university; 24.0% of bisexuals, 17.9% of lesbians, and 13.3% of heterosexuals were sexually assaulted during university). Sexual assault before university was highly predictive of sexual assault during university, especially among non-heterosexuals. Compared with heterosexuals not sexually assaulted before university (the referent group), previously assaulted non-heterosexuals (bisexuals/lesbians) had eight times the odds of sexual assault during university (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.75), whereas previously assaulted heterosexuals had four times the odds of sexual assault during university (AOR, 4.40). However, there was no difference in the odds of sexual assault during university between non-heterosexuals not sexually assaulted before university and heterosexuals not sexually assaulted before university. CONCLUSION: Bisexual and lesbian women are more likely than heterosexual women to be sexually assaulted before and during university. Sexual assault before university is linked to sexual assault during university for all women, with this association being especially pronounced among non-heterosexuals.

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Concerns have been expressed about the validity of self-reported data on sexual assault, as victims might be reluctant to disclose what happened to them. In this study, using an anonymous, web-based survey, a sample of 5,446 undergraduate women were asked about their experiences with physically forced sexual assault using both direct and indirect questioning methods. The prevalence of physically forced sexual assault obtained via indirect questioning was slightly higher than, though not substantially or statistically different from, the estimate obtained via direct questioning. The results suggest that either direct questioning yields reasonably valid estimates of the prevalence of sexual assault or that the item count technique does not produce estimates that are any more valid.

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Rising rates of substance use among Hispanic youth, coupled with substantial growth of this minority group, merit grounds for concern. The process of assimilation is frequently examined in studies of Hispanic substance use and has been cited as a reason for higher rates of substance use by U.S.-born Hispanics, compared to their foreign-born peers. However, many previous studies use individual or unidimensional measures of assimilation, when this term is multifaceted, representing different concepts. The current study addresses this gap by testing the longitudinal effect of different assimilation processes (acculturation as well as structural, spatial, and straight-line assimilation), while simultaneously controlling for important familial and social risk and protective factors on the likelihood of alcohol use among U.S.-born Mexican and Mexican immigrant youth. Results indicate that, although alcohol use is higher among immigrant youth, assimilation measures do not predict alcohol use for immigrants or U.S.-born youth. We conclude that the effects of assimilation may vary by person and place, particularly in ethnic enclaves, and suggest the use of measures that incorporate cultural, personal, social, and environmental factors.

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The Campus Sexual Assault Study examined whether undergraduate women's victimization experiences prior to college and lifestyle activities during college were differentially associated with the type of sexual assault they experienced: physically forced sexual assault and incapacitated sexual assault. Self-reported data collected using a Web-based survey administered to more than 5,000 undergraduate women at two large public universities indicated that victimization experiences before college were differentially associated with the risk of experiencing these two types of sexual assault during college. Women who experienced forced sexual assault before college were at very high risk of experiencing forced sexual assault during college (odds ratio [OR] = 6.6). Women who experienced incapacitated sexual assault before college were also at very high risk of experiencing incapacitated sexual assault during college (OR = 3.7). Moreover, women's substance use behaviors during college, including getting drunk and using marijuana, were strongly associated with experiencing incapacitated sexual assault but were not associated with experiencing forced sexual assault. Implications for education and prevention programs, as well as future research directions, are discussed.

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OBJECTIVE: Research has shown associations between college women's alcohol and/or drug consumption and the risk of sexual assault, but few studies have measured the various means by which sexual assault is achieved. PARTICIPANTS: The authors' Campus Sexual Assault Study obtained self-report data from a random sample of undergraduate women (N = 5,446). METHODS: The authors collected data on sexual assault victimization by using a cross-sectional, Web-based survey, and they conducted analyses assessing the role of substance use. The authors also compared victimizations before and during college, and across years of study. RESULTS: Findings indicate that almost 20% of undergraduate women experienced some type of completed sexual assault since entering college. Most sexual assaults occurred after women voluntarily consumed alcohol, whereas few occurred after women had been given a drug without their knowledge or consent. CONCLUSIONS: The authors discuss implications for campus sexual assault prevention programs, including the need for integrated substance use and sexual victimization prevention programming.

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Drug courts are one of the most common strategies for dealing with the large proportion of criminal offenders who are drug-involved, yet methodological limitations limit the conclusions that can be drawn from many existing evaluations of their effectiveness. The current study examined the long-term impact of drug court participation compared to regular probation on the recidivism of 475 drug-involved offenders under supervision in Hillsborough County, Florida. Using a combination of self-reported data (collected through in-person interviews at baseline, i.e., the beginning of supervision) and administrative records, the study employed a repeated measures framework (examining five 6-month time periods from baseline to 30 months post-baseline) and generalized estimating equations to compare the likelihood of being arrested between drug court participants and a matched sample of comparison offenders. The results indicate that participation in drug court was associated with a significant decrease in the likelihood of being arrested in the 12-18 months post-baseline time period. Although the drug court effect was somewhat delayed (it was not significant prior to 12 months) and short-lived (it was not significant after 18 months), the fact that significant program effects were observed during a time period that coincides with the conclusion of drug court participation for graduates and a time period well beyond initial program exposure, suggests that drug court participants are more likely than comparable offenders not exposed to drug court to remain arrest free when no longer under community supervision.

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This article reports on correlates of past-year nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and methamphetamine among young adults aged 18 to 25. Data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to conduct logistic regression analyses of the demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral correlates of nonmedical stimulant use. The sample size was 23,645. Multivariate analyses revealed that selling drugs and using marijuana and other illegal drugs were associated with increased odds of both methamphetamine and nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Females, individuals not enrolled in college, and those who had been arrested were more likely than their counterparts to have used methamphetamine, whereas black individuals and less religious individuals were less likely than their counterparts to have used methamphetamine. Psychological distress, sensation seeking, binge drinking, and college enrollment were associated with increased risks of nonmedical prescription stimulant use, whereas Hispanic and other ethnic identification were associated with decreased risks of nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Different intervention strategies are needed to prevent methamphetamine use versus nonmedical prescription stimulant use.

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PURPOSE: This article reports on correlates of past-year nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and methamphetamine among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. METHODS: Data from the 2002 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to conduct logistic regression analyses of the demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral correlates of illicit stimulant use. The sample size was 17,709. RESULTS: Analyses revealed that mental health treatment utilization and use of marijuana and other illegal drugs were correlated with nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and methamphetamine among adolescents. Females and adolescents who reported low religiosity, binge drinking, and selling drugs were more likely to use methamphetamine than were males or individuals who did not report these attitudes or behaviors. Additionally, black adolescents were less likely than white adolescents to use methamphetamine. Alternatively, adolescents who reported high family conflict and sensation-seeking were more likely than their counterparts to use prescription stimulants nonmedically, and Hispanic adolescents were less likely to use prescription stimulants nonmedically than white adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Risk for illicit use of stimulants varies by demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors. Different intervention mechanisms, populations, and settings should be targeted to prevent nonmedical use of prescription stimulants versus methamphetamine among adolescents.

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The availability and use of club drugs have increased in the last decade. Media and researchers have responded with increased coverage and a variety of studies. Despite the increased attention, some of these drugs and the rave/club scene in which they seemingly gained popularity are relatively new. Questions remain about the people who use club drugs, how best to go about preventing or dealing with the use of these substances, and the social contexts, subcultures, and manner in which club drugs are used. Complicating matters, the use and users of club drugs seem to be continually evolving. Club drugs are reportedly now available and used in a wide variety of locations, and the users are changing demographically. Members of racial/ethnic groups who previously avoided club drugs are beginning to use these substances, and the average age of onset appears to be decreasing. Additional research on the epidemiology of club drug use among samples that are demographically and geographically diverse is needed. This study is an analysis of factors associated with several measures of club drug use among a sample of delinquent youth in Oregon. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses are used to identify factors associated with club drug use and determine whether the current grouping of club drugs is appropriate. Findings indicate that users of club drugs are significantly different from delinquent youth who have not used club drugs on a number of dimensions, including age, engagement in risk behaviors, victimization, home environment, and rave attendance.

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Many jail inmates have a history of mental illness, substance use, and drug-related crime. This article assesses the effect of psychiatric comorbidity on retention in jail-based substance abuse treatment. Secondary data from five jail-based substance abuse treatment programs were studied using descriptive and multivariate analyses. Controlling for age, sex, race, education, and program, the odds of an offender with a history of mental illness being terminated from treatment were nearly three times that of those with no such history. The data suggest that psychiatric comorbidity may be an important correlate of retention in jail-based substance abuse treatment.

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Many jail inmates have a history of substance use and "abuse"; few, however, receive comprehensive treatment for substance use disorders while in jail. The authors offer a longitudinal reanalysis of data from five jail-based substance user treatment programs. Survival analysis was used to identify client characteristics associated with length of time in treatment. Survival curves for the five programs were compared, indicating which ones retained inmates the longest. Results from a model stratified by jail site revealed that inmates over 25 years of age and those already sentenced had significantly longer treatment stays. The Substance Abuse Intervention Division (SAID) program, a modified therapeutic community in a New York jail, and the Deciding, Educating, Understanding, Counseling, and Evaluation (DEUCE) program, a curriculum-based intervention, had the longest survival curves and were, therefore, most effective at retaining inmates in treatment.

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The prevalence of AIDS infection is approximately five times higher in state and federal prisons than among the general U.S. population. It is also apparent that high-risk HIV transmission behaviors occur inside prison; however, data validly documenting instances of intraprison HIV transmission are rare. This study validly identifies 33 inmates in a large sample of state prison inmates who contracted HIV inside prison and presents data on how they likely contracted HIV. It further compares these inmates to inmates who did not contract HIV inside prison in terms of age, race, and level of education. Documenting the burden posed by HIV transmission inside prison, providing insight into how they contract HIV inside prison, and what types of inmates are at risk will help public and correctional health officials reform their current education and prevention practices and ultimately reduce or prevent HIV transmission both inside and outside prison.

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