SIMILARITY OF CRIME RATES AMONG MALE HEROIN ADDICTS IN NEW YORK CITY, PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE (FROM DRUGS AND CRIME, P 209-223, 1993, RICHARD DEMBO, ED. - SEE NCJ-142736)

• NCJ Number: 142745
• Author(s): P J Goldstein; P A Bellucci; B J Spunt; T Miller
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 15 pages
• Sale Source: University Press of America
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

A comparison of crime rates among 617 heroin addicts in six methadone maintenance programs in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore revealed that aggregate crime rates, participation rates, and frequency of crime among addicts in the three cities were remarkably similar.

Abstract

The initial group of 633 participants included at least 100 from each of the clinics. They were interviewed in late 1985 using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and additional questions on drug abuse history, treatment experiences, and criminal behavior. The 16 individuals who completed invalid ASIs were deleted from the subsequent analysis. Results revealed that when "on the street" and addicted, the average offense rates for addicts in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore were 603, 631, and 567 offenses per year respectively. Their respective average crime-days per year at risk were 217, 269, and 227. Tables, figures, and 13 references (Author abstract modified)