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Does Offender Gambling on the Inside Continue on the Outside?: Insights From Correctional Professionals on Gambling and Re-Entry

NCJ Number
227876
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 48 Issue: 5 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 402-415
Author(s)
D. J. Williams; Gordon J. Walker
Date Published
July 2009
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Fifteen correctional professionals from Nevada (high gambling availability) and Utah (no legalized gambling) were interviewed about their views on how gambling while in prison might impact offender reentry into the community upon release in their respective locations.
Abstract
Several participants from both States viewed gambling in prisons and jails as common; however, a few reported that they were not sure about the prevalence of gambling. Sports betting, betting on recreational activities, card games, and board games were all mentioned as types of gambling. Participants reported that offenders gamble for money when possible, commissary items, personal favors, extra supplies, and cigarettes. Findings suggest that gambling issues during transition into the community may be varied and complex. Most participants apparently believed that gambling could be a problem for some offenders upon reentry. Utah correctional professionals generally acknowledged that gambling occurred within halfway houses, but knew of only rare cases in which parolees or probationers drove out of State (often to Nevada) to gamble. Some problematic links were noted; these included the link between gambling and substance abuse and gambling and crimes. Despite significant differences in gambling availability in the two States, correctional professionals in both Nevada and Utah reported a lack of feasible treatment resources for addressing cases of problem gambling. Several reentry difficulties for offenders with gambling histories prior to incarceration were reported. More research is needed to address the multiple forms of offender gambling and how they affect reentry problems and outcomes. The semistructured interviews focused on offender gambling prior to incarceration, during incarceration, and upon reentry. 25 references