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Nigel Turner, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Denise Preston, Correctional Service of Canada
Categories: · Assessment/Screening · Prevalence ·
| Type of Award | Amount Approved | Project Status |
|---|---|---|
| Level IV | $450,404.00 | In Progress |
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the present study is to determine the prevalence of problematic and pathological gambling in the Canadian correctional system and to examine the correlates of problematic gambling in this population. The proposed study will take place over a three-year period. In the first year and a half of the study Researchers will determine if the results from the Millhaven Assessment Unit of the Correctional Service of Canada (Turner, Preston, McAvoy, & Saunders, 2007) can be replicated in “parent” federal institutions. Samples will be taken from maximum (n = 100), medium (n = 100), and minimum-security institutions (n = 100). Where possible samples will be obtained from more than one parent institution at each level of security. An additional sample of female federal offenders will also be collected during this time period (n = 20). Starting in the second year additional samples of male and female offenders in the provincial prison system will be drawn(n = 100 males, n = 20 females). Finally, in the third year Researchers will examine problematic gambling in a non-custodial (e.g., probation) sample of male and female offenders (n = 100 males, n = 20 females). Most subjects will be male because the vast majority of offenders are male, however at each type of setting (e.g., federal, provincial, and non-custodial) there will be an over-sample female offenders in order to obtain a sample of approximately 60 female offenders to determine the extent to which the results generalize across gender.
The main goals of the study are to determine if the prevalence of pathological gambling found in Turner, et al. (2007) can be generalized to federal, provincial and non-custodial settings, and across gender. Second, it will examine in greater detail gambling within the prison system, including the types of games, consequences, and risk factors related to institutional gambling. Third, it will determine the validity and generalizability of the assessment protocol for differentiating problem and non problem gambling offenders. It is intended that the protocol (or some portion) can be included in a standardized offender intake assessment in order to improve both institutional and community treatment and programming decisions.