What Is the Relationship between Drug Use and Crime - Coursework Example

Relationship between drugs and crime Introduction Illegal or controlled drugs are chemical substances that people use with the view to altering the state of consciousness. The drugs affect the nervous system thereby impairment of judgment and functionality of other body organs. Such drugs include cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine among others. Crime, on the other hand, refers to acts that cause harm or loss either to others or to the state. Criminal activities are varied and range from driving under the influence of alcohol, to murder among others. The linkage between drug use and crime arises from the nature of drugs and the fact that such drugs are always illegal. Trade in illegal drugs and use of the same substances fosters crime in the society. Increased proliferation and usage of the illegal drugs lead to a proportionate increase in crime in the society as the discussion below portrays. The relationship between drugs and crime is three tiers given the nature of drug use and the trade in drugs. The three types of crime that have a close relationship with drugs use and trade are economic related crimes, use related crime and system related crime (Adint, 1997). Use related crimes are the types of crimes that drug users commit because of the ingestion of the drugs. Drug users are unstable individuals since the drugs affect the functionality of the nervous system. They are likely to behave violently and commit a number of other crimes. System related crimes refer to the crimes that arise from the manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs. Economic related crimes, on the other hand, refer to the crimes that drug users commit in their attempt to fund their addictions. Firstly, the use of such drugs is a crime in the country. The drugs cause immense biological and psychological injuries to the populace. The government therefore banned the use of such drugs. In order to ensure that the country is free from such drugs, it formed an arm of law enforcement agency to curb the proliferation of such drugs in the country. The fact that the use of such drugs is a crime makes the linkage between drug use and crime proportional. Additionally, trade in drugs and drug use cause immense social disorder given the fact that both activities are illegal. Drug users are likely to act violently owing to the fact that the drugs impair their judgments. As such, they are likely to initiate various types of aggressive attacks all of which amount to criminal activities in the country (Galizio & Maisto, 1985). Trade in drugs is illegal in the country with the government forming a law enforcement unit to discourage the proliferation of drugs in the country. However, drugs are addictive substance a feature that creates a steady market for those dealing in the trade of drugs. As such, different cartels always fight for the control of territories a feature that leads to the increase of gunfights in the streets of numerous cities in the country. The need to control territory is always vital to the profitability of a cartel. The cartels have systematic organizations and operate efficiently as they evade the law enforcers. The sellers encounter a number of challenges and conflicts from a variety of interested parties. The resultant gun or knife fights in such cases are vivid examples of criminal activities that result in injuries or even loss of lives. Trade in drugs is a multibillion-dollar industry that consists of manufacturer and sellers who distribute the drugs to the consumers at a fee. The trade is international since the cartels export their drugs to oversee destinations where the market is rife. The nature of the industry coupled with its immense financial capacity is a network of crime and criminals who case the national government immense financial losses. The fact that the government does not tax the profits from the industry implies that the government incurs major losses. The traders violate border violations as they smuggle their drugs in different countries. Additionally, the drug dealers look for ingenious ways of hiding their large profits. Key among the strategies they use in doing this is money laundering. Money laundering is a major economic crime that causes immense financial losses to the government. Drug users are unstable individual who are always less likely to have day jobs. Walker, (2011) explains that drug use is addictive and impairs the functionality of vital organs in a body thereby rendering drug users unproductivity. Unfortunately, drug use is addictive and such individuals must always look for ways of earning money with which to purchase the drugs. Drug users are, therefore, likely to engage in such crimes as theft, assault, robbery with violence and even rape as the drug users strive to sustain their addiction. Such are criminal activities that are more prevalent in societies where drug use is rife. An increase in the use of drugs in a society enhances violence in such setups owing to the need by the drug users to gain money with which to purchase the drugs. Such violent actions make the society unsafe for other citizens (Sussman, & Ames, 2008). As explained earlier, manufacturing, possessing and distributing drugs are types of the direct crimes that have a relationship with drugs and drug use in the country. As such, drug manufacturers and traders have systematic organizations such as cartels and gangs that have effective discipline and group values to help enhance the activities of the groupings (Davies, 1996). Such illegal organizations enhance the spread of organized crimes in a country. Organized crimes are major concern to the government owing to the potential of such illegal groups. Organized criminal organizations such as drug cartels have influence in various institutions and immense financial capital. As such, they can afford arms and often use the weapons to enhance discipline and financial benefits in the groups. Organized criminal groups are complex and are always international a feature that implies that they internationalize their criminal activities (Bennett, Holloway & Dawson Books, 2005). The drug industry enhances the development of organized criminal activities that make it difficult to maintain law and order in the society. Through the effective organization of the groupings, they manage to sustain the manufacture and distribution of drugs in the country. Furthermore, they have created their markets. They, therefore, enjoy a steady flow of profitability. However, their operations are always punctuated with violent crimes most of which always cause deaths and severe injuries. Proliferation of drugs and drug-related networks enhance the spread of illegal guns and other crude concealable weapons such as knives (MacKenzie & Uchida, 1994). The criminals use such weapons to eliminate competition, instill discipline in the groups and to eliminate any threat to their lives. The criminals often engage in shootouts with the law enforcement agents as they try to evade arrests. Additionally, they murder and injure both their members and members of rivaling gang a feature that increases the level of insecurity in a country. Another vital relationship between drug and crime is on the behavior of drug users. Drug users are more likely to engage in fights both among themselves and with other members of the society than non-users. Researches have shown that drug users often have the feeling of invincibility (Allen, 2007). This refers to a unique feeling in which an individual feels that he or she cannot acquire an injury. The feeling arises from the use of drugs given the nature of such drugs. As explained before, the drugs impair judgments and affect the functionality of the nervous system. Drug users are readily irritated and find it easy to assault others. They often drive while under the influence of the drugs thereby risking the lives of other users of the road. Pronounced drug abuse has a number of permanent effects related to crime and criminal activities. Such drug users have such problematic behavior patterns as shoplifting, violence, property crime and aggression among others. Hammersley (2008), explains that benzodiazepine is a common drug used by both drug users and non-users to commit various crimes. Criminals use the drug to commit crimes by intoxicating their victims. Criminals use the drug to lace the drinks and foods of their victims. The drug is effective in intoxicating individuals thereby making people vulnerable to such crimes as robbery and rape among others. Criminals have perfected the art of using the drug. They select their victims systematically. By mixing the drug and the food or drinks, the criminals force the victims to consume the drugs and pass out owing to the powerful amnesia effect of the drug that make it difficult for the victims of such crimes to remember the crimes. The act that the drug can enhance criminal activity makes everyone susceptible to some of the most heinous crimes (Flowers, 2009). In retrospect, the proliferation of drugs in a society is a major security concern for such a society is likely to experience an upsurge in criminal activities. Manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs are lucrative activities that easily attract the youth in any society. As such, the society would experience an increase in organized gangs dealing in drugs, which would in turn increase the number of violent crimes as the groups clash and fight over territory. Additionally, drug users are likely to engage in criminal activities in order to obtain money with which to purchase the drugs. An increase in drugs in the society results in a proportionate increase in crime in a society. Bibliography Hammersley, R. (2008). Drugs and crime: Theories and practices. Cambridge: Polity. Adint, V. (1997). Drugs and crime. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. Bennett, T., Holloway, K., & Dawson Books. (2005). Understanding drugs, alcohol and crime. Maidenhead: Open University Press. MacKenzie, D. L., & Uchida, C. D. (1994). Drugs and crime: Evaluating public policy initiatives. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Allen, C. (2007). Crime, drugs and social theory: A phenomenological approach. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. Flowers, R. B. (2009). College crime: A statistical study of offenses on American campuses. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co. Brochu, S. (2002). Drugs and crime deviant pathways. Aldershot: Ashgate. Davies, G. (1996). Psychology, law, and criminal justice: International developments in research and practice ; [collection of papers from the Third European Conference of Law and Psychology]. Berlin: De Gruyter. Walker, S. (2011). Sense and nonsense about crime, drugs, and communities. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub Co. Sussman, S. Y., & Ames, S. L. (2008). Drug abuse: Concepts, prevention, and cessation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Galizio, M., & Maisto, S. A. (1985). Determinants of substance abuse: Biological, psychological, and environmental factors. New York: Plenum Press. Read More