NCJ Number
37142
Date Published
1976
Length
148 pages
Annotation
THIS BOOK REPORTS ON AN EXPLORATORY ATTEMPT TO ANALYZE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG ADDICTION AND THE CRIME THAT IS WIDELY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
Abstract
THE CRIMINAL CAREER AND DRUG USAGE PATTERNS FOR A NON-RANDOM SAMPLE OF 101 ADDICTS REGISTERED WITH THE NARCOTICS TREATMENT ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WERE CONSTRUCTED RETROSPECTIVELY THROUGH INTENSIVE INTERVIEWS. AS PART OF THIS PROCESS OF OUTLINING CAREERS, VERY SPECIFIC INQUIRIES WERE MADE ABOUT THE NATURE OF SOME OF THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TIES BETWEEN ADDICTION AND CRIME. AMONG THE QUESTIONS CONSIDERED WERE (1) THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF RISING HEROIN PRICES ON BOTH THE DECISION MAKING OF THE ADDICT AND THE LEVEL OF PROPERTY OFFENSES, AND (2) THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF PREADDICTIVE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH ADDICTION INTENSIFIES THIS ACTIVITY. THESE RELATIONSHIPS WERE EXPLORED IN DEPTH, USING CRIME STATISTICS, POLICE RECORDS, PUBLISHED LITERATURE, AND INTERVIEW DATA. THE DISCOVERY OF A POWERFUL UNIVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RETAIL PRICE OF HEROIN AND THE LEVEL OF REPORTED PROPERTY OFFENSES OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS CAST SERIOUS DOUBT ON ANY NOTION THAT RAPIDLY RISING DRUG COSTS MIGHT PRECIPITATE A CORRESPONDING RISE IN GAINFUL CRIME AS THE MEANS OF PAYING ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. A RELATED FINDING WAS THAT MONETARY COST IS LARGELY IRRELEVANT IN THE ADDICT'S DECISION WHETHER A HABIT HAS GROWN UNMANAGEABLE AND WHETHER TREATMENT IS PERSONALLY INDICATED. ON THE OTHER HAND, A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WAS DISCOVERED IN WHICH THE APPEARANCE OF A GIVEN TYPE OF OFFENSE PRIOR TO OPIATE ADDICTION IS AN ALMOST CERTAIN PREDICTOR OF ITS POST-ADDICTION USE AS A MEANS OF SUPPORT. HOWEVER, MANY PREVIOUSLY UNINVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY EXPERIENCE RADICAL CHANGES IN THEIR LIFE STYLES DUE TO SOCIALLY ENFORCED MEMBERSHIP IN THE ADDICTCRIMINAL SUBCULTURE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS SITUATION OF PRODUCING ONE TYPE OF DEVIANCE THROUGH ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL ANOTHER SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY A REEXAMINATION OF SOCIAL AND LEGAL PRIORITIES. DECRIMINALIZED, REGULATED USE AND POSSESSION, BUT NOT SALE, OF HEROIN AND OTHER OPIATES IS PROPOSED AS A POLICY ALTERNATIVE. A COPY OF THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE USED IN THE RESEARCH STUDY, AN EIGHT-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND AN INDEX ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)