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Table 1 General characteristics of the prison population

From: Socioeconomic factors associated with drug consumption in prison population in Mexico

 

Habitual

During imprisonment

 

Drug consumption

p

Drug consumption

p

Variables

Yes

No

 

Yes

No

 

General characteristics

28.5%

71.5%

 

7.4%

92.6%

 

Number of elements

348

875

 

90

1,133

 

Gender - Male

89.1%

79.9%

*

86.7%

82.2%

 

Age, mean (SD)

31 (7.6)

34 (9.8)

*

32.1 (7.7)

33.2 (9.5)

 

Schooling

      

Incomplete elementary school

15.0%

17.0%

*

14.9%

16.6%

*

   Elementary school

51.9%

35.6%

 

55.2%

39.1%

 

   High school

27.7%

33.9%

 

26.4%

32.6%

 

   Bachelor school or higher

5.3%

13.5%

 

3.4%

11.7%

 

Childhood ambience

      

Index of marginalization at childhood home(SD)

-1.7 (0.6)

-1.4 (0.9)

*

-1.7 (0.5)

-1.47 (0.9)

*

Childhood home shared with adult with drug consumption

8.1%

2.7%

*

8.9%

3.9%

*

Abandoned childhood home

15.8%

5.9%

*

18.9%

7.9%

*

Adulthood ambience

      

Employment prior incarceration

83.9%

89.5%

*

82.2%

88.4%

*

Having permanent partner

82.8%

86.9%

 

83.3%

85.9%

 

Having children

58.3%

75.9%

*

65.6%

71.3%

 

Prison record

      

Prior sentence

42.5%

17.6%

*

50.0%

22.7%

*

Prior months in prison (SD)a

37.7 (66.9)

33.1 (37.5)

 

54.4 (106.3)

32 (37.5)

*

Type of current crime

      

   Against persons

49.6%

61.5%

*

45.6%

59.1%

*

   Against property

39.2%

28.1%

 

40.0%

30.6%

 

   Against health (Drug-related)

11.2%

10.4%

 

14.4%

10.3%

 

Months in prison waiting for a sentence (SD)

8.5 (12.1)

10.4 (12.2)

*

7 (7.9)

10.1 (12.5)

*

Total months in prison (SD)

40.2 (36.0)

43.3 (35.4)

 

40.1 (40.5)

42.6 (35.2)

 

Current sentence spent in prison

57.7%

39.7%

*

45.8%

43.2%

 

Penal institution characteristics

      

Location (Mexico city)

34.5%

65.5%

*

10.6%

89.4%

*

Location (State of Mexico)

22.0%

78.0%

 

3.9%

96.1%

 

Positive conditions

      

   Study

12.9%

12.2%

 

11.1%

12.5%

 

   Remunerated employment

24.1%

26.3%

 

18.9%

26.2%

 

Negative conditions

56.0%

45.0%

*

78.9%

45.7%

*

Drug consumption

During imprisonment

Pre-imprisonment

   Yes

21.8%

1.6%

*

84.4%

24.0%

*

   No

78.2%

98.4%

 

15.6%

76.0%

 
  1. *Statistical significance < 5%, utilizing the chi2 test for dichotomous variables and Student t test for continuous variables, supposing different variances
  2. aFor those with a prior sentence