Investigating the involvement of heroin in crime - Research Paper Example

?Running head: Heroin and criminality Investigating the involvement of heroin in crime Investigating the involvement of heroin in crimeIntroduction Drugs are one of the most common causes of crimes. Their use and abuse often emerges as a cause or influencing factor in the commission of crimes. These drugs have qualities which distort and compromise a person’s judgment and his perception of the world and of other people. As a result, these drugs often make people act in ways which are not appropriate for normal society or which may be harmful to them and to other people. This study will investigate the drug’s availability and price, and the role that these play in the abuse of heroin. It shall consider various facts which seek to assess all available elements in the understanding of the use and the abuse of heroin. Discussion Heroin is considered an “opiate drug that is synthesized from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant” (NIDA, 2010). It appears as a white or brown powder and it can be injected, smoked, or snorted (Medline Plus, 2010). Through these routes, it can quickly deliver the drug to the brain. By injecting it, the needle can administer the drug to the bloodstream; by snorting, the drug can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues; and by smoking, the drug can also be absorbed into the lungs (NIDA, 2010). These methods can all lead to addiction and other serious health issues. As heroin enters the brain, it is then converted to morphine where it later binds with opioid receptors (Timbrell, 2005). Such receptors are found in different parts of the brain and the body, most likely those which have something to do with perception of pain and reward. These receptors are also found in the brain stem. The brain stem is involved in the automatic processes of breathing, blood pressure, and arousal (Ritter and Lampkin, 2010). Heroin users and abusers initially report feeling a surge of euphoria, accompanied by dry mouth, warm flushing of the skin, heaviness in their extremities, and compromised mental functioning (Cobb and Brogan, 2008). After this state of euphoria, the heroin user then goes through an alternate wakeful and drowsy state. Through continued heroin use, tolerance for the drug sets in and the user’s physiological reaction to the drug diminishes, and more heroin is necessary to receive the same level of effect. Users have a high risk of experiencing addiction with about 23% of individuals using heroin becoming dependent to it (NIDA, 2010). The drug’s behavioral impact on users is severe. Most abusers find trouble concentrating, learning, or having clear thoughts (ACDE, n.d). Most of the time, they cannot hold down jobs; they can be apathetic and be unable to carry out and sustain personal relationships (Pearson, Gilman, and McIver, 1987). Their inability to find means to sustain their addiction often leads them to crime. Their compulsive use often triggers self-destructive and irresponsible behavior which manifests as antisocial actuations and a general indifference to injury, pain, and the loss caused to others (ACDE, n.d). Heroin has adverse effects on health. It is associated with serious health conditions, fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, and in some individuals injecting the drug – infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis (NIDA, 2010). For prolonged users, they may suffer collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver or kidney disease (NIDA, 2010). Some may later develop pneumonia which may be caused by their poor health as well as their compromised respiration. The drug sometimes contains toxic contaminants which can clog the blood vessels to the lungs, liver, and other major organs, thereby leading to permanent damage to these organs (Virmani, Ali, and Binienda, 2010). For long-time users, their heroin use can lead to physical dependence and when they stop use of the drug they are likely to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms may manifest as restlessness, muscle, and bone pain, insomnia, and vomiting. Abrupt withdrawal of the drug can sometimes be fatal. A gradual withdrawal is therefore recommended for these users (Puisis, 2006). Based on 2009 NIDA monitoring, 1.3% 8th graders report a lifetime use of heroin; 1.5% for 10th graders; and 1.2% for 12th graders. For those with use of heroin for the past year (2008-2009), 0.7% of 8th graders, 0.9 of 10th graders, and 0.7% of 12th graders reported use. Finally 0.4% of 8th graders, 0.4% of 10th graders, and 0.4% of 12th graders reported heroin use for the past month (NIDA, 2010). Based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), their 2008 figures reveal that the number of heroin users 12 years or older in the US increased from 150,000 in the year 2007 to 200,000 users in 2008 (NIDA, 2010). In effect, there were about 100,000 first time heroin users aged 12 years or older in the year 2008. Heroin is widely available in the United States drug markets (Mark, Woody, and Tuday, 2001). Reporting among law enforcement authorities indicates that this drug is being widely used and such availability is higher in some areas, based on high wholesale purity, low prices, higher levels of abuse and higher numbers of heroin-related overdoses and overdose deaths (US DOJ, 2010). Based on the DEA Heroin Signature Program (HSP) 2008 data, wholesale purity of Mexican heroin was at 40% which was the highest average purity for the Mexican heroin assessed under the HSP since the year 2005. Mexican heroin was also pegged at 39% of all heroin analyzed through the HSP at its highest percentage since 1987 (US DOJ, 2010). The wholesale purity of the South American heroin settled at 57% in 2008 after decreasing from the years 2000 to 2006. The South American heroin representation under the HSP reduced to 58% in 2008 from 88% in 2003 (USDOJ, 2010). The lower representation of South American heroin under the HSP was caused by the significant increase of Mexican heroin samples which were confiscated under the program (US DOJ, 2010). The increased availability of heroin in the market is partly attributed to higher heroin production in Mexico with production estimated from 2004 to 2008 increasing to 342%, from 8.6 metric tons pure to 38 metric tons pure (Sivric, 2009). In Liverpool, Australia, heroin users seem to be flocking to the area due to the increased availability of the drug. Their border detections reveal that in the years 2006 to 2007, they detected the most heroin on record and 79% of these drugs seized increased by 79% (Sivric, 2009). High amounts of heroin also came from Afghanistan and Burma. The area experienced a high influx of drug dealers and users because the quality of heroin was apparently good in the area; moreover, these drugs seemed to be more readily available in Liverpool (Sivric, 2009). The increased level of availability of the drug in any area seems to be a major contributor to the rate of criminal activity. Dependent heroin users seem to engage in many criminal activities and these offences include drug dealing and property crimes like robbery, theft, fraud, and shoplifting (Schober and Schade, 1991). Heroin dependent women may also be involved in prostitution. Higher rates in convictions among heroin users seem also to be a more dominant feature in the justice system. Various thoughts on the relationship between heroin use and crime have been considered, but the simplest interpretation seems to be that heroin users commit property crimes in order to finance their continued drug use (Carnwath and Smith, 2002). Others however claim that the relationship goes the other way around with property criminals more likely to be dependent heroin users (Hall, Lyneskey, and Degenhart, 1999). Still, some others explain that crime and drug use are not directly related to each other; however, they have common causes, including multiple social disadvantages or a largely criminal environment which encourages drug use and abuse (Hall, Lyneskey, and Degenhart, 1999). Due to their economically disadvantaged position in society, they are often likely to consider illegal activities in order to earn money to support their daily expenses. These poorer groups in society are also more vulnerable to the influence of drug users and abusers. Evidence reveals that at least half of those who are treated for heroin use and abuse were also involved in crimes, mostly property offences (Dobinson and Ward, 1987). This is especially applicable to male heroin users; female heroin users are often recruited by sexual partners so their crimes often become a product of heroin use (Hser, et.al., 1987). One of the most common causes of drug use and criminal behavior is working among adolescents. Studies have revealed that adolescents with a history of poor grades are also likely to manifest with alcohol and tobacco use among early teens. For teens with an early criminal history, they are often most likely to use heroin in their late teens (Kandel, 1993). These studies also claim that future heroin users start their drug use at an earlier age as compared to their peers and they are more likely to be very much involved in tobacco and alcohol use, and to use illegal drugs at an earlier age (Hall, Lydeskey, and Degenhart, 1999). As compared to their non-drug using peers, they are also more likely to be social deviants and nonconformists who will also associate with other deviants and non-conformists. Such qualities, when taken together make these individuals more likely to use heroin and to later be involved in criminal activities (Elliot, et.al., 1985). Moreover, claims by researchers have also established the fact that heroin use also contributed to the frequency with which they were involved in criminal activities. Some studies in fact have revealed that there is a significant relationship between heroin drug use and the frequency of criminal activity (McGothlin, 1978). The strong relationship between criminality and drug use became apparent with studies establishing that when drug users were not using, there was a drop in the crime rates (Hall, Lydeskey, and Degenhart, 1999). The relationship between heroin addiction and criminality was explored in a study by Ball, et.al., (n.d). In their study, the authors revealed that the impact of criminality among all nine career types was impacted by their addiction status. Therefore, there was an increase in the number of crime days during the addiction as compared with the crime rate when these users were abstinent (Ball, et.al., n.d). The study established that most of the heroin-using subjects were very much involved in criminal activities – on a daily basis and for a period of many years. Most of these crimes were committed when they were addicted to opiates. Noticeably, the criminal activities were reduced when these subjects stopped using heroin (Ball, et.al., n.d). All of the subject heroin users committed about 1999 crimes and when taken together, their acts total to 473, 738 offences. The rate of criminal offenses committed increased about six times during periods of addiction as compared when they were abstinent (Ball, et.al., n.d). As to years at risk, 91.4% of crime days were days when the subjects were addicted and only 8% of their crime days were abstinent (Ball, et.al., n.d). In other words, the relationship between heroin use and criminality has been fully established as a strong relationship. The studies above attribute a high degree of criminal activity for heroin users. Conclusion The discussion above sets forth a strong relationship between criminality and heroin use. For heroin users, they are also more likely to commit crimes. And they are also more likely to be repeat offenders. In the days when they did not use heroin, their level of criminal activity seems to be lower. Heroin compromises a person’s judgment and his addiction to the drug often prompts him to commit property crimes in order to support his habit. Their economic and environmental issues often contribute to their heroin addiction and for most heroin users, such factors or issues often dictate their behavior. In order for an appropriate program to be carried out to address this heroin and criminality issue, there is a need for the government to address the cause of the addiction – to reduce heroin use among adolescents in order to avoid future continued abuse. Works Cited Ball, J., Rosen, L., Friedman, E., & Nurco, D. (n.d) The Impact of Heroin Addiction Upon Criminality. BBS Radio. Retrieved 02 March 2010 from http://www.bbsradio.com/bbc/fred_bell/27.pdf#page=178 Basic facts about drugs: Heroin. (n.d) American Council for Drug Education. Retrieved 02 March 2010 from http://www.acde.org/common/heroin.pdf Carnwath, T. & Smith, I. (2002) Heroin century. 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