Heroin Using Careers and American Drug Policy

• NCJ Number: 162146
• Author(s): C E Faupel
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01DA01827
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Corporate Author: Auburn University
• Sale Source: Auburn University
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC; Paper presented at the American Society of Criminology 42nd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Md., Nov. 7-10, 1990

Annotation

Life history data from 30 hard-core heroin addicts in the Wilmington, Del. area formed the basis of an analysis of the impacts of prohibitionist and legalization policies on the criminality of heroin addicts.

Abstract

The analysis focused the content of some 500 hours of unstructured interviews with street and incarcerated heroin addicts to provide a career model of heroin addiction. Results revealed that two career contingencies, drug availability and life structure, emerged as powerful parameters in shaping the direction of addict careers. The relationship between heroin use and criminal behavior varied over the course of an addict's career, depending on the changing conditions of drug availability and life structure. Findings suggested that the impact of drug policies on criminality are also dependent on these contingencies. More specifically, both prohibitionist and legalization are most likely to have positive impact on addict criminality during that phase of addict careers in which both drug availability and life structure are low. Findings also suggested that a policy of legalization might be a critical opening that facilitates the development and use of sound educational programs and more effective treatment, which would address drug problems in more effective ways than are currently being used. 29 references (Author abstract modified)