TRENDS IN DRUG USE AND CRIME AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP IN AN ARRESTED POPULATION

• NCJ Number: 46477
• Journal: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 413-429
• Author(s): N J KOZEL; R L DUPONT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRENDS IN CRIME AND DRUG USE FOUND IN AN ARRESTED POPULATION, DATA ON 44,223 CONSECUTIVE ADMISSIONS TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (DC) SUPERIOR COURT LOCK-UP WERE ANALYZED.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE POPULATION CONSISTED OF ALL THOSE ADMITTED ON CRIMINAL FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR CHARGES FROM DECEMBER 1971 THROUGH APRIL 1975. DATA INCLUDED INTERVIEW INFORMATION AND URINALYSIS RESULTS. THE NUMBER OF LOCK-UP ADMISSIONS FOLLOWED A CYCLICAL PATTERN, REACHING ANNUAL PEAKS IN THE 3D QUARTER. THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN ADMISSIONS OVER THE PERIOD STUDIED, FROM 11,949 IN 1972 TO 11,997 IN 1974. ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF ALL ADMISSIONS ON WHOM URINALYSIS WAS PERFORMED WERE DRUG POSITIVE. OF THESE, ROUGHLY 66 PERCENT INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF MORPHINE AND/OR QUININE, 29.8 PERCENT HAD USED PHENMETRAZINE, 27.8 PERCENT HAD USED ILLEGAL METHADONE, 15.7 PERCENT HAD USED METHAMPHETAMINE, 7.0 PERCENT HAD USED LEGAL METHADONE, AND 5.6 HAD USED AMPHETAMINE. DRUG POSITIVES DECLINED FROM 34.6 TO 32.6 PERCENT OF TESTED ADMISSIONS IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1972, AND TO 18 PERCENT IN THE 4TH QUARTER OF 1973. THIS LOWER PERCENTAGE OF POSITIVES CONTINUED WITH MINOR VARIATION THROUGH 1975. VARIATIONS IN INDIVIDUAL DRUG USE TRENDS WERE FOUND. FOLLOWING A DECLINE IN 1972-1973, A 50 PERCENT HEROIN USE INCREASE OCCURRED IN 1974-1975. PHENAMETRAZINE USE ALSO INCREASED. WHILE 6 TO 7 PERCENT OF ALL DRUG POSITIVES WERE CHARGED WITH VIOLENT CRIMES, 17 PERCENT OF DRUG NEGATIVES WERE SO CHARGED. CODEINE AND BARBITURATE USERS WERE MORE OFTEN CHARGED WITH VIOLENT CRIMES THAN OTHER DRUG USERS, WHILE COCAINE USERS WERE NOTEWORTHY FOR THEIR ABSENCE OF VIOLENT CRIME CHARGES. IN GENERAL HEROINE USERS WERE LIKELY TO BE CHARGED WITH ACQUISITIVE CRIMES AND DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS. HEROIN USERS WHO ALSO USED OTHER DRUGS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE CHARGED WITH A VIOLENT CRIME THAN WERE THOSE WHO USED HEROIN ALONE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (JAP)