This paper examined the connections between drug use and crime and found that several pathways exist that are not often considered as connections between the two. Previous research has found four general patterns in North America, Europe, and Australia regarding a connection between drug use and crime: 1) general association - the first stage where illegal drug users are more likely to report offending and offenders are more likely to self-report drug use; 2) delinquency - the second stage, where a connection exists between drug use and offending in large minorities of young people that usually peaks between the ages of 14 to 16, and then declines into adulthood; 3) temporary intense use - a third stage that includes a period of intense drug use, crime, and other risk-taking behaviors in adolescence resulting from traumatic experiences and life difficulties; and 4) dependence/problem drug use - a fourth stage where a small proportion of adolescent drug users become dependent or problem drug users with associated offending that continues into adulthood. The authors found that the majority of research and treatment used nowadays centers around the pathway of delinquency, and that research into the other pathways could lead to more effective treatment methods. References