Drug Use and its Contribution to Crime - Literature review Example

Drug Use and its Contribution to Crime A crime labeled simply as ‘drug-related’ could refer to any one of many scenarios. A heroin addict, desperate to obtain money to support their habit, robbing a home or business could come to mind as might the dealing or possession of drugs. These situations illustrate an obvious association between drugs and crime. However, it is difficult to accurately determine to what extent in which drugs could be considered the main motivation for crimes. A person under the influence of an illegal drug while committing a crime does not necessarily mean that the crime was drug-related. To what extent the drug clouded their judgment is subjective at best. That person may be a cigarette smoker as well but the crime would certainly not be classified as tobacco-related. Criminal theories explain causations for crime and can also be applied to drug usage, but all drug users do not commit crimes and all criminals do not use drugs. The connections between drug use and crime are complex and explanations vary widely. This has been a topic that has garnered a considerable amount of attention for the past few decades among the public, media and politicians because of the considerable negative social and economic impact on society as a whole and the victims of crime. Some argue that laws make criminals out of drug users and distributors. Prohibition acts to encourage organized criminal activity because of the high profitability involved. In addition, the inflated expense of drugs is the main reason a user has to resort to crime to support their habit. This discussion examines the evidence supporting the connection between drugs use and crime and uncovers the complexities involved when attempting to identify this connection. It also reviews criminological theories that explain the underlying causes of crime and drug use then concludes with an attempt to understand why the association is a component of society. Broadly differing arguments are offered regarding the degree to which criminal activity is driven by drug use. The term ‘drug user’ cannot be used without qualification when connecting this activity to crimes of any description. Drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, phencyclidine, (PCP), barbiturates and alcohol are more closely connected to criminal acts of violence than are heroin and marijuana according to current scientific literature (Wright & Klee, 2001). Some statistics that show a linkage from drug use to crime are generated from drug tests on prisoners. If the prisoner tests positive, the link is confirmed. However, more accurate numbers are obtained by interviewing prisoners and asking them if drugs played a role in their crime. A person who committed murder may test positive for marijuana but the drug use may have had nothing to do with the crime. Furthermore, a person may have been born with a neurological disorder resulting from alcohol or hard drug abuse by their mother while pregnant. This would be an example of a drug-related crime that would not be documented. Taking these types of possible inaccuracies into account, it can be surmised that no statistics in this area can be relied upon as being 100 percent accurate. Therefore, the statistics that connect drugs and crime quoted either in this paper or from any source must only be used as a guideline for discussions not as scientific proof. (Silver, 1974) Heroin, as do many other illegal drugs, costs more than gold based on weight. The habitual use of these drugs exerts an extreme financial liability on the addict which, in most circumstances, causes them to obtain the money to buy drugs by illegal measures such as robbery, burglary, shoplifting and prostitution. In addition, the act of buying and using drugs are illegal as well (Gossop et al, 1994). According to estimates by police departments, approximately 50 per cent of all crimes recorded in Britain may be related to drug use. The high rate of drug abusers located in various parts of the justice system reflects this estimate. The combination of criminal actions and related burden on the justice system represents a significant liability to the whole of society. The crimes are more harmful economically than in terms of violent physical assaults. Drug related crimes normally involve shoplifting. This offence represents both the largest number and highest percentages of drug-related crimes committed. For most drug abusers, the types and number of crimes committed are influenced by the type of drug to which they are addicted. Those who are heavily dependent on very addictive drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines or heroin have a greater propensity for criminal activity, generally property theft. As would be expected, the greater degree of a person’s drug use increases their rate of criminal activity. It is important to note though, research has demonstrated that “the vast majority of acquisitive crimes were committed by a small minority of drug users, with ten per cent committing about three-quarters of all property crimes” (Stewart et al, 2000). Since the most accurate method to measure the connection between drug use and crime is to interview prisoners, the following statistics are based upon studies that employ this technique. Not surprisingly, prisoners who reported that their crimes were related to drug use made a considerably higher amount of money derived from illegal means than prisoners who did not report such a connection. Those that claimed a connection were in receipt of, on average, at least two times the quantity of illegal earnings than those that did not. Comparable disparities were revealed in the outlay of money for drugs. Prisoners who stated a connection spent up to ten times the amount on drugs as prisoners that did not connect their crimes to drug use. Consequently, prisoners who said that there was a connection between their drug use and the crime they committed were “much more involved in illegal income generating crime and also much more involved in expensive drug consumption than their counterparts” (Bennett, 1998: 31). Prisoners who stated they spent under $2,000 on illegal drugs during the past year also said they accumulated about $3,000 in illicit income. Prisoners who stated they spent under $10,000 on illegal drugs during the past year also said they accumulated about $19,000 in illicit income (Bennett, 1998: 40). These numbers reveal that the degree to which drugs are used and degree of criminal activity is closely related. Prisoners who are heavy users of drugs are also involved heavily in unlawful behavioral patterns. It can be safely assumed that drug addicts in the general population are the culprits behind much of the property crime committed throughout the country. They just haven’t yet been arrested. The results of the prisoner interviews also reveal that particular types of drugs including cocaine, methadone, amphetamines and heroin, because of their addictiveness, the effects unique to each of these drugs and their high cost, have the tendency to be more directly connected with criminal activity than, for example, marijuana which is a milder and non-physically additive drug. These results do not, however, reveal to what extent drug use causes crime. “In order to estimate causality, it would be necessary to establish not only the existence of a correlation between drug use and crime, but also the temporal direction of the two variables and the extent to which other variables partly or wholly explain the correlation” (Bennett, 2000: 44). One technique to determine the causality concerning crime and drug use is to produce an example whereby the number of possible variables including drug use is inserted into a formula that endeavors to explain the frequency of criminal activities. A study based on this criterion was performed using information gathered from more than 700 prisoners who said that there was a connection between their drug use and the crimes they committed. The prisoners totaled more than $4 million in illegal income over the previous year’s time. The illicit income of cocaine and heroin users alone totaled close to $3 million. Therefore, this study would suggest that one, there is a clear and strong connection between drug use and crime and two, addictive, expensive drugs such as heroin and cocaine account for at least 75 per cent of crime where drugs are involved (Bennett, 1998: 46). The research also shows that a significant proportion of prisoners, about half, admit that their use of drugs and their crime are linked and that use of cocaine and heroin is likely accountable for the inflating numbers concerning criminal activity (Bennett, 1998: 47). This discussion has examined substantive evidence, both theoretical and contextual reasoning regarding the relationship between crime and drug use. Another factor that plays a role in the connection between drugs and crime is, ironically, the very laws enacted in an attempt to prevent drug use and thus reduce crime. The punitive, conservative approach to eradicating the drug problem has resulted in creating a solid foundation for organized criminal activity, raised the cost of drugs and has encouraged sullying and dilution of drugs. Drug laws, though well-intentioned, are directly responsible for the increased instances of misconduct with regard to both violent and property-related crimes. Dropping the laws would drop the price of drugs. This alone would reduce crime to at some extent. Many social, physical, psychological and biological factors cause people to use drugs. Trying to stop drug usage is like trying to stop the rain. Modifying or eliminating drug laws will stop a percentage of the crime that is connected to drug use however. References Bennett, Trevor. (1998). “Drugs and Crime: The Results of Research on Drug Testing and Interviewing Arrestees.” A Research and Statistics Directorate Report. London: Home Office. Accessed February 15, 2010 from Gossop, M; Powis, B; Griffths, P; & Strang, J. (1994). “Sexual Behavior and its Relationship to Drug-taking Among Prostitutes in South London.” Addiction. Vol. 89, pp. 961-970. Silver, I. (1974). (Ed.) The Crime Control Establishment. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Stewart, D; Gossop, M; Marsden, J.; & Rolfe, A. (2000). “Drug Misuse and Acquisitive Crime Among Clients Recruited to the National Treatment Outcome Research Study.” Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health. Vol. 10, pp. 10-20. Wright, S. & Klee, H. (2001). “Violent Crime, Aggression and Amphetamine: What are the implications for drug treatment services?” Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy. Vol. 8, N. 1, pp. 73-90. Read More