The roles of problem gambling and social disadvantages in crime

View Open Access Article View Snapshot Back to Search Results

snapshot summaries

Author(s): Lind, Kalle ; Hellman, Matilda ; Obstbaum, Yaira ; Salonen, Anne H.

Journal: Addiction Research & Theory

Year Published: 2021

Date Added: June 10, 2021

This study examined the link between problem gambling and crime using data from a population survey and national registers. Participants were 7,186 adults living in three regions in Finland. A total of 123 participants (2.1%) had been convicted of at least one crime before. Problem gambling was more common among people with a criminal conviction. However, factors reflecting social disadvantages were more strongly related to having a criminal conviction than problem gambling. These included receiving basic social assistance, low income, low education, and being unemployed. Male gender and younger age were also associated with having a criminal conviction. When these factors were taken into account, problem gambling was no longer associated with having a criminal conviction. These results suggest a need for social policies and interventions to consider socioeconomic inequality when addressing crime and problem gambling.

Citation: Lind, K., Hellman, M., Obstbaum, Y., Salonen, A. H. (2021). Associations between gambling severity and criminal convictions: Implications for the welfare state. Addiction Research & Theory. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2021.1902995

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2021.1902995

Keywords: crime ; criminal behaviour ; data analytics ; incarcerated people ; population survey ; problem gambling

Topics: Comorbidities ; Crime and Deviance

Conceptual Framework Factors: Social - Deviance ; Social Factors

Study Design: Observational: Case Control

Geographic Coverage: Finland

Study Population: Adults with the ability to understand Finnish or Swedish (n = 7186)

Sampling Procedure: The researchers used data from the Finnish Gambling Harms Survey. Statistics Finland collected data through web and postal surveys between January and March 2017. Participants were adults living in three regions of Finland. Institutionalized persons such as inmates in prisons, mental health patients, and the infirm were excluded. The researched also obtained data from national registers kept by Statistics Finland.

Study Funding:

The survey was funded by Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Daily work of Kalle Lind and Anne H. Salonen at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare was also funded by the Ministry.