NCJ Number
142745
Date Published
1993
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A comparison of crime rates among 617 heroin addicts in six methadone maintenance programs in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore revealed that aggregate crime rates, participation rates, and frequency of crime among addicts in the three cities were remarkably similar.
Abstract
The initial group of 633 participants included at least 100 from each of the clinics. They were interviewed in late 1985 using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and additional questions on drug abuse history, treatment experiences, and criminal behavior. The 16 individuals who completed invalid ASIs were deleted from the subsequent analysis. Results revealed that when "on the street" and addicted, the average offense rates for addicts in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore were 603, 631, and 567 offenses per year respectively. Their respective average crime-days per year at risk were 217, 269, and 227. Tables, figures, and 13 references (Author abstract modified)