Abstract
From a phenomenological perceptual stance, we aim, in this article at revealing youths' own personal perceptions regarding the drug-crime nexus in their trajectories. Within a qualitative research approach, autobiographical accounts were used with 38 young drug users and delinquents between 16 and 18 years old (22 boys and 16 girls). With the reference point of this article being Goldstein's (1985) tripartite drug-crime model, our results show support for parts of this model as well as nuances to it. Also, another type of drug-crime nexus emerged from these accounts. More specifically, a “psychopharmacological” and a “monetary” drug-crime link were described by youths, and an absent or intermediary relation too. Goldstein's systemic model did not merge in this study. Personal feelings, meanings and logic of youths permit us to elaborate on and further qualify these drug-crime nexuses in the trajectories of young drug users and delinquents.
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