NCJ Number
37093
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 133-144
Date Published
1976
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THREE SOURCES REPRESENTING GENERAL PUBLIC, VESTED INTERESTS, AND SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE EMERGENCE AND PERSISTENCE OF THE 'DOPE FIEND' STEREOTYPE.
Abstract
A GREAT AMOUNT OF SOCIAL COMMENTARY, PUBLIC INVESTIGATION, AND SCIENTIFIC ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE 'DRUG PROBLEM' WITHIN THE LAST DECADE. WHILE MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE CAUSES OF DRUG ABUSE, TREATING THE USER, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC (PARTICULARLY YOUTH) REGARDING THE ILLS OF SUCH DRUGS, LITTLE SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN MADE OF THE NATURE AND EFFECT OF IMAGES OF DRUGS AND USERS IN THE MASS MEDIA. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT A POPULAR IMAGE OF THE DRUG USER AS A 'DOPE FIEND' HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AS AN IDEOLOGY JUSTIFYING THE SEVERE TREATMENT GENERALLY ACCORDED THE DRUG USER. THIS STEREOTYPE IS USED BY VESTED INTERESTS TO FRIGHTEN THE PUBLIC INTO APPROPRIATING INCREASED FUNDS TO COMBAT THE DOPE MENACE. THE DOPE FIEND STEREOTYPE STATES THAT THE DRUG ADDICT IS A VIOLENT CRIMINAL, IS A MORAL DEGENERATE, WANTS TO CONVERT NONUSERS INTO ADDICTS, AND TAKES DRUGS BECAUSE OF AN INFERIOR AND ABNORMAL PERSONALITY. THE OCCURRENCE OF THIS STEREOTYPE WAS EXAMINED IN MATERIALS FROM THE READER'S GUIDE TO PERIODICAL LITERATURE, THE INTERNATIONAL INDEX (ON SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE), AND THE U.S. FEDERAL NARCOTICS BUREAU'S ANNUAL REPORT. THE ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF NARCOTICS ANNUAL REPORT MOST CONSISTENTLY PRESENTED THIS MYTH, WITH 98 PERCENT OF ITS DISCUSSION OF DRUG USER ATTRIBUTES CONTAINING A MYTH. POPULAR LITERATURE PRESENTED A MYTH ABOUT 43 PERCENT OF THE TIME THAT THE ADDICT'S CHARACTERISTICS ARE DISCUSSED, WHILE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE PRESENTED MYTHS ABOUT ONE HALF THE TIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)