The Correlation between Crime and Drugs
Abstract
This paper discuses the social problems of drugs and crime and how they are related to one another. It also offers statistical proof of their correlation. It defines drug-defined crimes and drug-related crimes. It debates whether crime leads to drugs or drugs lead to crime and gives some reasons why some people turn to drugs. It also offers two possible ways to reduce these problems. Since it can be proven that they are related then we can assume that reducing one will ultimately reduce the other.
It seems that there has always been a relationship between drugs and crime; one will ultimately lead to the other. As drug use increases so do drug related crimes perpetrated by addicts. These crimes may have been committed while they were under the influence of drugs, or they may have been perpetrated, by the addict to enable them to accumulate the funds needed finance their addiction. These are known as drug ' defined crimes and drug-related crimes. Drug- defined crimes are violations of laws prohibiting or regulating the possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs and drug-related crimes are not are not violations of drug laws but are crimes in which drugs contribute to the offense. (Schmalleger, 2006) At first glance it appears obvious that the addiction has led to the crime, but we cannot assume that just because they go hand in hand that one caused the other. We must question the assumption so that the relationship between drugs and crime may be better understood. Is it the drugs and the addiction to them that led to the crime or is criminals attracted to drugs?
One absolute though is that there is a direct link between the
addiction and the crime. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “There is extensive evidence of the strong relationship between drug use and crime.” (Schmalleger, 2006) A review of the evidence led the Department to three...