NCJ Number
7838
Date Published
1971
Length
408 pages
Annotation
NATIONAL RESEARCH SURVEY IN WHICH ARRESTEES WERE INTERVIEWED AND CLINICALLY TESTED TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG USE AND SERIOUS CRIME.
Abstract
THE RESEARCHERS ASSEMBLED DATA ON THE DRUG USAGE HISTORY AND CRIMINAL RECORDS OF A SAMPLE GROUP OF ARRESTEES FROM SIX CITIES. IT WAS FOUND THROUGH STATISTICAL ANALYSIS THAT ALTHOUGH DRUG USERS HAD HIGHER ARREST RATES, THEY WERE LESS OFTEN INVOLVED IN CRIMES OF VIOLENCE THAN ARRESTEES WHO DID NOT USE DRUGS. THERE WAS, HOWEVER, AN UNUSUALLY HIGH CONCENTRATION OF SERIOUS CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON AMONG AMPHETAMINE USERS WHEN THEY WERE COMPARED TO THE USERS OF OTHER DRUGS.