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Examination of the Relationship Between Crime and Substance Use in a Drug/Alcohol Treatment Population

NCJ Number
84609
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (1981) Pages: 627-645
Author(s)
B T Greene
Date Published
1981
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study identifies the patterns of criminal activity among 1,544 members of a drug/alcohol treatment population and examines the relationship between these patterns and drug/alcohol usage.
Abstract
A sizable number of the members has a history of crime involvement. Most of the involvement was in the area of victimless crimes, such as narcotics possession, disorderly conduct, and drunkenness. Person, property, and victimless crimes were moderately intercorrelated. The study found that person and victimless crimes were less likely to be committed under the influence of drugs than under the influence of alcohol. Property crimes were more likely to be committed to support a drug/alcohol addiction than were person or victimless crimes. While most arrested addicts or alcoholics began their criminal behavior before they began using drugs regularly, the fact that a large portion of them started using a substance during the same year as they launched their criminal careers or in previous years cannot be ignored. While the extent of drug/alcohol use and criminal behavior are unrelated, the type of drug, especially when considered in conjunction with the individual's age, sex, and race, is partially associated with crime. Tables and nine references are provided. (Author abstract modified)

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