Vast research has been conducted on exposure to violence and its consequences. Among the many consequences of exposure to violence is substance use. Using the Pathways to Desistance data, this study seeks to examine whether exposure to violence impacts substance use among adolescents, whether neighborhood social disorder impacts substance use, and whether exposure to violence mediates the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. The test of mediation on these variables has never been conducted before. Findings of these analyses revealed that exposure to violence as a victim and witness were both found to increase the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents. Further, neighborhood social disorder was found to decrease frequency of cocaine use. Lastly, exposure to violence partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. Based on the findings, future studies should further examine these relationships. Several policy implications can be made including collective efficacy, violence prevention programs, testing and screening for exposure to violence, and substance use programs.
","abstract_html":"<p>Vast research has been conducted on exposure to violence and its consequences. Among the many consequences of exposure to violence is substance use. Using the Pathways to Desistance data, this study seeks to examine whether exposure to violence impacts substance use among adolescents, whether neighborhood social disorder impacts substance use, and whether exposure to violence mediates the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. The test of mediation on these variables has never been conducted before. Findings of these analyses revealed that exposure to violence as a victim and witness were both found to increase the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents. Further, neighborhood social disorder was found to decrease frequency of cocaine use. Lastly, exposure to violence partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. Based on the findings, future studies should further examine these relationships. Several policy implications can be made including collective efficacy, violence prevention programs, testing and screening for exposure to violence, and substance use programs.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jimenez, Ashley"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Sociology and Criminal Justice","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Beverly Reece","Tanja Link","Rebecca Petersen"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-10-23T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-10-23T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:43:42Z","subjects":["Criminology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/mscj_etd/11","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Beverly Reece","Tanja Link","Rebecca Petersen"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jimenez, Ashley"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-11-30T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology and Criminal Justice"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Criminology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/mscj_etd/11"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Vast research has been conducted on exposure to violence and its consequences. Among the many consequences of exposure to violence is substance use. Using the Pathways to Desistance data, this study seeks to examine whether exposure to violence impacts substance use among adolescents, whether neighborhood social disorder impacts substance use, and whether exposure to violence mediates the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. The test of mediation on these variables has never been conducted before. Findings of these analyses revealed that exposure to violence as a victim and witness were both found to increase the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents. Further, neighborhood social disorder was found to decrease frequency of cocaine use. Lastly, exposure to violence partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. Based on the findings, future studies should further examine these relationships. Several policy implications can be made including collective efficacy, violence prevention programs, testing and screening for exposure to violence, and substance use programs.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Neighborhood Conditions, Youth Exposure to Violence, and Substance Use"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Beverly Reece","Tanja Link","Rebecca Petersen"],"dc:creator":["Jimenez, Ashley"],"dc:date.available":["2020-11-30T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Vast research has been conducted on exposure to violence and its consequences. Among the many consequences of exposure to violence is substance use. Using the Pathways to Desistance data, this study seeks to examine whether exposure to violence impacts substance use among adolescents, whether neighborhood social disorder impacts substance use, and whether exposure to violence mediates the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. The test of mediation on these variables has never been conducted before. Findings of these analyses revealed that exposure to violence as a victim and witness were both found to increase the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents. Further, neighborhood social disorder was found to decrease frequency of cocaine use. Lastly, exposure to violence partially mediated the relationship between neighborhood social disorder and substance use. Based on the findings, future studies should further examine these relationships. Several policy implications can be made including collective efficacy, violence prevention programs, testing and screening for exposure to violence, and substance use programs.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/mscj_etd/11"],"dc:subject":["Criminology"],"dc:title":["Neighborhood Conditions, Youth Exposure to Violence, and Substance Use"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology and Criminal Justice"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:43:42Z"}