Essay - African American Males: Correlation Between Affective Disorders, Substance Abuse and...

African American Males: Correlation Between Affective Disorders, Substance Abuse and the Criminal Justice System

Literature Review

The purpose of the literature review will be to evaluate what the relative strength of correlation is ********** substance abuse, affective disorders and incarceration in African American males. The strength of association will be exampled from multiple populations including those incarcerated of petty theft auto convictions and ***** convicted of rape, murder or other forms ***** violent assault.

Theories of Affective Disorders and ***** Abuse

The theoretical framework describing the relationship between affective *****, substance abuse and deviant behavior is often referred to as ***** "anomie perspective" and may be defined ***** the lack of normalness that one experiences in their day to ***** existence (Shaw, 2002). Following this theory, ***** males experience "more moral confusion and difficulty assimilating to the normal cultural landscape of society" and hence demonstrate "extremism in behavior," in part as a result of their loss of perspective or re*****lity (*****, 2002:6). Further individuals suffering this state tend to lead extremes of life feeling "they are above the law or social ********** of society" in many cases, or lamenting their sad existence, both of which may ***** to individual affective inclinations ***** substance abuse patterns in African ***** (Shaw, 2002:6). "Failure, frustration and stra*****" experienced in ordinary life can also result in moral unsureness and "polarized reactions to societal events" (Shaw, 2002: 6). This ***** turn ***** cause some***** ***** give up hope or due diligence, ***** ***** efforts toward conformity and contribute to deviant *****. Under the ***** ***** *****, strain and "moral undecidedness or lessening in n*****mative control feed back on each o*****r making substance dealing, ***** and deviant behavior an acceptable reaction ***** life and reality" (Shaw, *****:6).

***** *****, the "career perspective" suggests that substance abuse is a chronic condition ***** is progressive in n*****ture, mov*****g through various stages including "experimentation, habituation, dependence, problematic experience, cessation, maturation and abstinence" among o*****rs (Shaw, 2002: 25). During ***** of these stages psychological, social, personal ***** physiological changes occur in the abuser "that can result in ***** behavioral tendencies or actions" (*****, 2002: *****). From a psychological ***** career is considered ***** achievement of "personality stability in adulthood, a vehicle for self-re*****lization, a component of life structure *****nd an individually mediated response to external messages" (Shaw, 2002: 26). Under ***** notion Afric***** males with ***** disorders and habitual substance abuse problems *****m a c*****reer ***** includes crime ***** deviant behaviors, by adopting specialized attitudes and behaviors that appeal to this lifestyle.

Still others have linked socioeconomic **********, homicide, urbanization and ***** abuse ***** violent activity ***** African American youth, particularly African ***** (Cubbin, Pickle & Fingerhut, 2000; Cunningham et al. 2003). Still others have suggested that among African American young males, issues ***** race and gender identity may contribute to violent behavior ***** victimization (Spencer, 999; Cunningham ***** al. *****).

***** States

***** et al. (2001) suggest that negative affective states in African ***** ***** depression and anger may