NCJ Number
152852
Journal
Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention Volume: 3 Dated: (1994) Pages: 63-82
Date Published
1994
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Research on the drug-crime connection generally focuses on possible correlations between the two phenomena and the nature and direction of causality in the relationship.
Abstract
Many studies have documented an economic component of the drug-crime connection. Studies have also indicated that drug users come from a background of illegal activity predating drug use and that drug use both sustains and intensifies criminal behavior. The current study collected drug and crime data on a population of 699 criminally involved crack and other cocaine users in Miami. In their last 90 days on the street, these users reportedly committed 1.76 million criminal acts. Over 90 percent of the crimes involved individual retail drug sales. Although little relationship was found between crime and arrest, the primary statistical relationship between cocaine and crack use involved the retail sale and distribution of crack and cocaine by drug users/dealers attempting to support their drug habits. The crack-crime connection was persistent; crack use appeared to intensify and perpetuate criminal activity. 76 references and 7 tables