CRIME AND ADDICTION - AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE, 1920-1973

• NCJ Number: 18333
• Author(s): S W GREENBERG; F ADLER
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 28 pages
• Contract Number(s): ME-3202
• Sponsoring Agency: Pennsylvania Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
• Corporate Author: Medical College of Pennsylvania
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY WHICH CONSIDERS THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND DRUG DEPENDENCY (PRIMARILY HEROIN ADDICTION) IN TERMS OF THE CRIMINAL HISTORY OF THE ADDICT.

Abstract

THE THREE MAJOR AREAS OF EXPLORATION ARE AS FOLLOWS: THE TEMPORAL SEQUENCE OF CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT, THE EXTENT AND TYPES OF CRIME COMMITTED WHILE ADDICTED, AND THE IMPACT OF TREATMENT ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED, BASED ON THE LITERATURE, THAT THE MAJORITY OF CURRENT HEROIN ADDICTS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CRIMINAL HISTORIES PRIOR TO THE FIRST USE OF OPIATES; THAT ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTS DOES NOT LEAD TO, BUT DOES INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF, ADDICTION; AND THAT ADDICTS COMMIT PRIMARILY THOSE CRIMES THAT YIELD A FINANCIAL RETURN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE VIOLENT OR NOT. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT RESEARCH EFFORTS MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF PROSPECTIVE STUDIES OF NORMAL POPULATIONS.