NCJ Number
158411
Date Published
1983
Length
8 pages
Annotation
In order to investigate the life course of criminality among heroin addicts, three questions were addressed: (1) specific types of offenses addicts engage in over time; (2) whether types and frequencies of criminality increase or decrease over time; and (3) how criminality during successive periods of addiction compares with criminality during successive nonaddiction periods.
Abstract
A sample of 354 male heroin addicts in Baltimore was selected for the study. Each addict was interviewed between July 1973 and July 1978 by specially trained interviewers who were familiar with Baltimore's addict subculture. Study findings indicated theft and drug sales were the most frequently committed crimes. The average heroin addict committed over 2,000 offenses, criminality during addiction periods was relatively stable in frequency, and criminality decreased in successive nonaddiction periods. The 354 male heroin addicts maintained a high rate of criminality over their addiction careers, and high crime rates of the first addiction period continued in subsequent addiction periods. 10 references and 3 tables