Solutions to the Problem Gambling and Crime Connection

1
Solutions to the Problem Gambling and Crime
Connection

• Henry R. Lesieur, Ph.D.
• Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital

2
Crime Rates Among Pathological Gamblers

• GA treatment Studies -- 50-67
• Helpline Study of Problem Gamblers -- 20
  admitted crime and 11.5 arrested
• NORC study -- general population -- 32 of PGs
  arrested for any crime

3
Prevalence of Offenses -- German Study -- Percent
4
Crime Types Among Pathological Gamblers

• Forgery, Fraud, Theft, Embezzlement
• Tax violations (fraud evasion)
• Illegal Gambling operation
• Less common Burglary, Armed robbery, Drug Sales,
  Fencing Stolen Goods, Prostitution, Extortion

5
Psychologist as Expert Witness

• Reviews Materials from Court
• Interviews Offender and others
• Evaluates Mental Status
• Evaluates for Mental Disorders
• Conducts Psychological Tests
• Writes Report

6
Psychologist as Expert Witness - 2

• Examines issues not covered by pre-sentence
  investigation
• -- Emotional Issues
• -- Family Dysfunction
• -- Co-occurring Disorders
• -- Coping Skills

7
Psychologist as Expert Witness - 3

• Examines work history (positives as well as
  negatives)
• Social supports
• Gambling Progression
• Cognitive Distortions
• Personality Disorder (especially ASPD)

8
Action/Escape Phase

• ACTION -- become involved good at it exciting
  early success bolster self-esteem by gambling
  winsinternally produced lossesexternally
  produced
• ESCAPE -- gambling to escape from problems,
  loneliness, depression, anxiety, trauma
  gambling time out, time away from problems

9
Losing/Chasing Phase

• ACTION gambler finds losing intolerable CHASE
  after bad beats serious losses
• ESCAPE gambler finds time out is expensive
• BOTH use up options for obtaining money as their
  involvement increases
• New Money Big Win

10
Cycles in the Spiral ofOptions and Involvement

• 1. Get Money
• 2. Moving, Manipulating,
• or Juggling Money
• 3. Tightening of Resources
• (Closure) and Need to
• Make Moral Decision

11
Desperation Phase

• Job Family Disaster Areas
• Illegal Activities (CG Spiral)
• Obsession with Getting Out of Trouble Overtakes
  Excitement
• Escapes into Gambling Yet No Relief
• Serious bouts with Depression
• Suicide Attempts

12
Hopeless Phase

• Getting Even Not
• Possible
• No Longer Care
• Know They Will Lose
• Continual State of Depression
• Playing for Action is All That Matters

13
Considerations Before Turning To Crime

• 1. Opportunity
• 2. External Agents of Social Control
• (Police, Family)
• 3. Beliefs Justifications
• 4. Closing of Available Options
• 5. Threat (to self-esteem, financial threat,
• Physical threat)

14
CRIME AND STRESS

• Stress of Gambling
• Stress of Financial Pressures
• Stress of Impact on Family
• Work-related Stress
• Produce Anxiety, Depression, and Cognitive
  Distortions that Impair Judgment and
  Decision-Making

15
Moral Justifications and Illegal Activity
16
Social Attachment(Meyer Stadler)

• Change in Living Condition
• Relationship to Parents
• Parental Education Methods
• Emotional Social Attachment
• Involvement in Conventional Activities
• Belief in Social Rules

17
Addiction Pressures for Crime(Meyer Stadler)

• Severity of Pathological Gambling
• Cravings to Gamble
• Duration of Gambling
• Debt Income/Loss Ratio
• Emotional Family Problems
• Type and Frequency of Gambling

18
Personality and Crime(Meyer Stadler)

• Aggressiveness
• Extroversion
• Impulsivity Risk-Motivation
• Antisocial Personality
• Frankness Emotionality
• Global Mental Status

19
Crime Meyer Stadler
Social Attachment
.04
.25
Addiction
Criminal Behavior
.48
.63
.52
Personality
.33
20
The Five Rs

• Remorse evidence of feelings
• Repentance evidence of lifestyle changes. What
  is different? Job situation, marriage, etc.
• Restitution plan. Is it realistic?
• Recovery treatment plan for recovery. Give
  details and dates. Evidence of compliance
• Rehabilitation evidence of change in attitude.
  Volunteer work, community service, spiritual life
  style change

21
US Courts Pathological Gambling

• Insanity Defense Argued in 1980s (PG does not
  apply)
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines
• Diminished Capacity and Downward Departure
• Significantly Reduced Mental Capacity

22
Minnesota Rule 82 Pathological Gambling

• Offenders Convicted of Felony Theft, Embezzlement
  Forgery
• PO Screens using SOGS
• 17 SOGS 5
• Sent for Gambling Assessment

23
Conditions of Probation for Pathological Gamblers

• Abstinence from Gambling
• Attendance at GA
• Community Service
• Gambling Counseling
• Restitution Orders
• How about Exclusion?

24
Gambling Court

• Modeled after Drug Courts
• Buffalo, New York
• 26th Judicial Court in Louisiana
• Proposed in Florida

25
Gambling Court - 2

• Eligibility Criteria
• Pathological Gamblers
• First Offenders
• Non-violent
• No drug dealers
• No sex offenders

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Gambling Court - 5

• Recommendations possible depend on what treatment
  is available
• Inpatient treatment (Louisiana only)
• Intensive Outpatient day treatment
• Halfway House
• Outpatient treatment
• Gamblers Anonymous

27
Gambling Court - 8

• No Evaluations of gambling courts conducted to
  date
• Drug Courts show 45-50 graduation rates
• Drug Courts show reduced recidivism in two-thirds
  of the courts evaluated

28
Pathological Gambling among Prisoners

• Conducted a Meta-analysis of 10 Studies
• 19.6 of prisoners level 3 gamblers (probable
  PGs)
• Gamblers higher criminality
• Higher rate of psychopathy
• Higher rate of Depression
• Higher Rate of SUD

29
Gambling in Prisons

• Play Cards for Cigarettes
• Bet on Horses with prison bookies
• Sports Betting
• -- Sell drugs to pay for gambling
• -- Bet with on outside
• -- Get into Fights
• -- Provide services to pay gambling

30
Recommendations for CJS and Pathological Gambling

• 1. Educate train CJS personnel
• 2. Explore Gambling Courts
• 3. Evaluate and Assess Offenders
• on Pre-trial basis
• 4. GA meetings in Prisons
• 5. PG Treatment with trained counselors
• 6. Community Service by ex-prisoners at prison GA
  meetings