NCJ Number
208608
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 49 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2005 Pages: 63-81
Date Published
February 2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between number and types of drugs used and involvement in crime.
Abstract
Previous research on the association between drug use and crime has tended to narrowly focus on specific types of drugs and specific types of crimes, without considering the impact of multiple drug use on criminal offending. The current study examined data collected for the New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program in the United Kingdom to assess the association between multiple drug misuse and criminal behavior among 3,135 arrestees. Results of statistical analyses indicated that both the number of drug types used and the particular drug type combinations were predictive of offending rate. Specific results revealed that nearly twice as many multiple drug users as single drug users reported criminal offending within the past 12 months and multiple drug users reported more than twice as many offenses as single drug users. Multiple drug users who consumed a large number of drugs reported more criminal involvement than multiple drug users who consumed a small number of drugs. The implications for policy are considered and include a need to turn the focus away from heroin and crack users as those most criminally liable and focus instead on multiple drug users as a criminally active group. Future research should continue to investigate the role of multiple drug use in the commission of criminal offending. Tables, figure, references