NCJ Number
70673
Date Published
1976
Length
24 pages
Annotation
As part of the appendix to the Drug Use and Crime Report, this paper reviews the evidence of correlation between drug use and crime, distinguishes the policy implications of both correlation and causation, and discusses the impact on crime reduction of changes in drug abuse policy.
Abstract
Current drug abuse policy is designed to achieve much broader objectives than crime reduction because it is directed at those who do not commit crimes as well as those who do, and it is designed to influence a user's behavior and condition as well as drug use. Contributions of drug abuse policy to crime reduction objectives depend on the relationship between drug use and crime. If drug use is a cause of crime within a particular population, drug abuse policy instruments designed to affect levels of drug use will also reduce crime. Causal models linking drug use to crime include an intoxication effect influencing levels of negligent, passionate, and economic crime; a Mr. Hydse effect for stimulant drugs affecting levels of passionate crime; and an economic dislocation effect for dependence-producing drugs. Two adjustments in drug abuse policy could result in large crime reduction benefits regardless of the exact nature of the relationship between drug abuse and crime. Relaxation of supply reduction efforts would make it easier to obtain drugs and remove some illegality from drug use, but would probably have disastrous effects on other objectives of drug abuse policy. Adjusting priorities of treatment toward those arrested for property and violent crimes and diverted from the criminal justice system and away from those users who would probably get better soon without treatment might well provide large improvements in behavior and conditions. Four tables are included.