© 2005 Springer Publishing Company 433 The Dynamic Nature of the Drug Use/Serious Violence Relationship: A Multi-Causal Approach Joseph B. Kuhns III, PhD Relying on historical research, a longitudinal data set, and multivariate analyses, the drug- violence relationship is scrutinized. A proposed model is tested and supported, indicating that attitudes toward violence, gender, neighborhood problems, minor delinquency, and vic- timization were persistent correlates that must be considered within the drug-violence rela- tionship. Parental attachment and importance, exposure to delinquent peers, and drug dealing were also important. Both licit and illicit drug use were significant within the models, although the relationship changed from year to year. In year 1, youth who used drugs reported more violence. In year 2, youth who were not using drugs reported more violence. Association with delinquent peers and initial involvement in drug dealing were likely expla- nations for this transition. Findings offer support for prevention efforts that disrupt drug markets and target male youth who are involved in crime and drugs, repeatedly victimized, associating with delinquent peers, and developing attitudes favorable toward the use of violence. Keywords: drug use; substance use; violence; aggression; theory N urco, Hanlon, Kinlock and Puszynski (1989) suggested that due to concerns about the social and economic costs of drug-related crime, policy makers have emphasized the need to classify drug-abusing offenders in ways that facilitate the containment of criminal behavior. An important component of this strategy is early identification of offenders who commit the most serious and highest numbers of crimes. Drug-using violent offenders are one such set of offenders. Indirect evidence suggests that there is a discernible population of offenders who frequently use drugs and are consistently violent (Chaiken & Chaiken, 1990a; Chaiken & Chaiken, 1990b; Fagan, 1992; Farrington, 1978; Nurco, Hanlon, & Kinlock, 1991; Thornberry, Huizinga, & Loeber, 1995). Both serious drug users and vio- lent offenders are difficult populations to treat or maintain, much less reintegrate, suggest- ing that drug-using violent offenders are a critical population of offenders for continued study. There is also an interest in exploring whether individuals at risk for concurrent drug use and violence are characteristically different than others who simply use drugs or are episod- ically or chronically violent, but do not use drugs. Research consistently documents that violent offenders are more likely to abuse drugs (Chaiken & Chaiken, 1990b), be poly-drug users (Chaiken & Chaiken, 1990a), begin offending at earlier ages (Thornberry et al., 1995), continue offending for longer periods of time (Farrington, 1982), and commit higher num- bers of offenses (Elliott, Huizinga, & Morse, 1987; Farrington, 1978; Thornberry et al., Violence and Victims, Volume 20, Number 4, August 2005 AU: Not in refs (Fagan 1992) 05_kuhns_VV 20(4).qxd 7/18/05 3:17 PM Page 433