TVRGC: Tracking Vulnerability & Resilience in Gambling Crime Careers

1. TVRGC: Tracking Vulnerability & Resilience in Gambling Crime Careers a.k.wilson@lancaster.ac.uk c.may-chahal@lancaster.ac.uk

2. Public Health Approach to reducing problem gambling and crime • Targeting populations at risk • Based on evidence and epidemiology • Policy Context: Gambling Act – protecting the vulnerable, prisoner mental health, crime reduction

3. Global Review (Williams et al, 2005) • 1/3 of criminal offenders meet criteria for problem or pathological gambling. This is the highest rate yet found in any population (in UK this would be 26000 men). • The prevalence of gambling within prisons (40%) appears lower than in the general population. • Inmates who do gamble tend to do so regularly, and problem and pathological gamblers are disproportionately represented among this group. • Screening and provision of specialized help are currently lacking in most correctional facilities

4. TVRGC • Partnership: Lancaster and Glasgow Universities • Funded by RGF/ESRC • 36 month screening and follow up study (longitudinal) • 6 prisons – England/Scotland, Male/Female, North/South

5. Problem Gambling Severity Index • Bet more than can afford to loose • A need to gambling with increasing amounts of money • Chasing losses • Borrowed money or sold items to get money to gamble • Felt had a problem with gambling • Gambling causing health problems including stress and anxiety • People criticising gambling behaviour • Gambling causing financial problems for you or your household • Felt guilty about way that you gamble or what happens when you gamble

6. 3 Gambling Groups (PGSI category) • Non problem and low risk (0-2) • Moderate risk and problem (3+) (Problem gambler 8+) • Abstainers(those who haven’t gambled in 12 months before prison)

7. Prevalence questionnaire in 6 prisons (N=1200) Tracking crime careers of all on PNC Group 3: Abstainers – 9 in each prison Group1: Moderate/severe problem gamblers – 9 in each prison Group 2: Non problem/low risk gamblers – 9 in each prison First interview pre-release: 1 – 2 months after questionnaire completion. In-depth (approx 1 hour) gathering personal history, gambling career data Second interview: 6-8 months later in community. In depth (approx 1 hour) probing gambling careers and resilience factors since leaving prison Third interview: 6-8 months later in community. In depth (approx 1 hour) continuing to probe gambling careers and resilience factors since leaving prison

8. Looking at Resilience • Family support • Social networks • Participation • Identity • Self esteem • Problem solving • International Resilience Project Canada

9. Looking at co-morbidity • Drug use • Alcohol use • Links to gambling • Links to crime • Links to resilience

10. OffGam Pilot Wave 1 Findings (N=201) • Averaging a 64% response rate • 52% knew of at least one other person in prison with a gambling problem • 26.4% knew of at least five other people • 5.4% consider their current offence was linked to gambling • 12% linked gambling to past offending (21% of gamblers)

11. Problem Gambling Prevalence in Prison (Pilot) • Not gambled 12 mths prior 43.7% • Gambled with no problem 6.7% • Low Risk (1-2 PGSI) 19.0% • Moderate Risk (3-7 PGSI) 17.1% • Problem Gambler (8+ PGSI) 14.3% • 13% (27) of total (a quarter of all gamblers) volunteered for treatment

12. Key Contacts England • Research Officer: Allie Wilson at Lancaster a.wilson@lancaster.ac.uk (01524 594095) • Co-ordinator: Corinne May-Chahal c.may-chahal@lancaster.ac.uk (01524 594104) • GamCare: http://www.gamcare.org.uk/ • A useful reference: Williams et al, 2005, Gambling and Problem Gambling Within Forensic Populations: A Review of the Literature, Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32 pp 665-689