Preliminary Report on Crime and Addiction Within a Community-Wide Population of Narcotic Addicts

• NCJ Number: 158954
• Journal: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume: 2 Dated: (1977) Pages: 109-121
• Author(s): D N Nurco; R L DuPont
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1R01 DA 00417
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This paper discusses the criminal behavior of drug addicts, based on a sample of males identified as drug abusers by the Baltimore City Police Department between 1952 and 1971.

Abstract

Records of 252 subjects, representing a 92 percent interview response rate, were analyzed to identify any differences between blacks and whites with regard to criminality before first use and after first regular use of drugs. Findings generally supported previous studies with regard to the increase in criminal activity after the onset of drug addiction. In addition, black drug addicts tended to commit more crimes and more serious crimes than white addicts before first drug use and after the onset of addiction. Further, weighted crime index scores of both "before" and "after" segments appeared to be higher for blacks who became addicted in the most recent years. This appeared to be true for whites only after the onset of addiction. 10 references and 4 tables