CHARACTERISTICS OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS ADMITTED TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION 1989 AND 1990

• NCJ Number: 143164
• Author(s): W V Pelfrey
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 56 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-DB-CX-0037
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; North Carolina Governor's Crime Cmssn; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The North Carolina Governor's Crime Commission funded this study to assess the characteristics of drug traffickers admitted to the North Carolina Department of Correction in 1989 and 1990.

Abstract

The analysis focused on demographic, social, economic, and work history data. Four drug trafficker categories emerged from general characteristics: those with prior drug offense arrests, those with prior violent crime arrests, those with prior property crime arrests, and those with no prior arrests. In 1989, 433 drug traffickers were admitted to the North Carolina Department of Correction; this figure declined to 369 in 1990. The average age of the 802 drug traffickers was 33.6 years. Almost 40 percent were white and 52 percent were black, and more than 89 percent were males. Drug traffickers had an average of 0.3 prior imprisonments and an average of 2.6 total arrests. The average sentence of those admitted in 1989 and released on parole was 7.1 years, while this figure decreased to 5.8 years in 1990. Almost 80 percent had never been imprisoned prior to admission for drug trafficking. Almost 49 percent had no arrest record prior to the drug trafficking arrest. Over 92 percent of drug traffickers were convicted of cocaine offenses. About 61 percent of drug traffickers said they spent their formative years in urban areas; almost 71 percent were in poverty or subsistence status when arrested and almost 70 percent currently lived in urban areas. Of the 802 drug traffickers, 104 had prior arrests for homicide, rape, robbery, or aggravated assault; 271 had prior arrests for drug-related offenses; 179 had prior arrests for property crimes; and 388 had no prior arrests. Data showed a strong link between drugs and crime and also demonstrated the role of parental substance abuse in the deviance of some offenders. In addition, criminal histories were important in identifying drug trafficker characteristics. Attachments provide information on drug user types and the National Institute of Justice's demographic and background data code sheet. 22 references and 12 tables