Abstract:
This research was to study factors of social bond and differential association influencing the frequency of drug usage over a week, among 500 narcotic offenses prisoners in the Nakhonsithammarat Central Prison. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, ANOVA (analysis of variance) and MCA (multiple classification analysis) were the statistical applications for the analysis. Results revealed that the factors of social bond were at their lowest when the prisoners had a low level of bonding with their family; their family did not support what they had done regardless of their jobs, private affairs, or social activities; their family members did not come to hear their problems, declined to be their advisors, or refused to help them during their difficulties. This included their religious belief, especially their sin, virtues and punishment; good deeds and bad deeds, and heaven and hell. Also, it was the belief in jurisprudence that all human beings were moral, but they had to strictly follow the laws and fear sentences. When their social bond, their religious belief, and their belief in the law was a low level, they committed their narcotic offenses more. The prisoners, in the matter of differential association, associated with many addictive friends, in groups and in gangs, and when they did they committed their narcotic offenses more. It influenced their frequency of drug use per week at 38.6% (Multiple R = .386), and co-explained their offenses at 14.9% (Multiple R square =.149). It was concluded that factors of social bond and differential association influenced frequency of drug use per week at statistically significant levels (p < .05).