NCJ Number
143838
Journal
Contemporary Drug Problems Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1992) Pages: 327-350
Date Published
1992
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the drug-crime relationship in Germany based on the scarce empirical evidence that exists.
Abstract
Social reactions that have arisen in response to the drug problem differ among countries based on public perceptions of legal issues and treatment approaches. Factors that should affect the level of crime committed by addicts may include the pharmacological effects of various substances, the need for money to finance a drug habit, the availability of methadone, and the existence of a social welfare system. Germany's drug policies resemble those in other European countries in that drug possession and acquisition are illegal and drug laws are enforced. While penalties for serious drug offenses have increased, the German courts have tended toward a therapeutic, rather than repressive, approach. Data on the drug-crime relationship, gathered from police statistics, in-depth studies based on police registered, and surveys of drug users, show that most crimes are not committed by drug users and, in fact, the proportion of German addicts who commit crimes is lower than in the U.S. 2 tables, 11 notes, and 38 references