Gambling among offenders: Results from an Australian survey

Julie Lahn*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    38 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This article outlines the results of a recent Australian survey of gambling, problem gambling, and gambling-related crimes among offenders. The research found that 34% of participant offenders had some form of gambling problem. This figure is 18 times higher than that found in the general population in the same Australian location. Many problem gamblers identified in the survey had not sought help for gambling and felt they didn't have a problem or were in control of their gambling. In addition, many survey participants said that their gambling was not problematic despite some admissions that they had committed gambling-related crimes. A significant implication of this study follows that offenders with gambling problems need to be offered therapeutic services while in the correctional system to reduce the prevalence of gam-bling problems and the commission of gambling-related offences.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)343-355
    Number of pages13
    JournalInternational Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
    Volume49
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2005

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