September 1994, NCJ–149286 Fact Sheet: Drug-Related Crime

1 Drugs & Crime Department of JusticeOffice of Justice ProgramsBureau of Justice StatisticsSeptember 1994, NCJ 149286D E P A R T M E N T O F J U S T I C E O F F I C E O F J U S T I C E P R O G R A M S B J A N I J O J J D P B J S O V C fact Sheet: Drug-Related CrimeDrugs are related to Crime in multiple ways. Mostdirectly, it is a Crime to use, possess, manufacture, ordistribute drugs classified as having a potential for , heroin, marijuana, and amphetamines areexamples of drugs classified to have abuse are also related to Crime through the effects theyhave on the user s behavior and by generating violenceand other illegal activity in connection with drug traffick-ing. The following scheme summarizes the various waysthat drugs and Crime are product of the Drugs & Crime Data Center & Clearinghouse1 800 666 3332 Summary of drugs/ Crime relationshipDrugs andcrimerelationshipDefinition ExamplesDrug-definedViolations of lawsDrug possession oroffensesprohibiting or reg-use.

2 Marijuanaulating the possession,cultivation. Metham-use, distribution, orphetamine ofCocaine, heroin, orillegal in which aViolent behavioroffensesdrug s pharmacologicresulting from drugeffects contribute;effects. Stealingoffenses motivated byto get money tothe user s need forbuy drugs. Violencemoney to supportagainst rival drugcontinued use; connectedto drug use and crimeA life orientationlifestyleare common aspectswith an emphasis onof a deviant goalsThe likelihood andsupported by illegalfrequency of involve-activities. Opportuni-ment in illegalties to offend resultingactivity is increasedfrom contacts withbecause drug usersoffenders and illegalmay not participatemarkets. Criminalin the legitimateskills learned fromeconomy and areother to situationsthat encourage fact sheet will focus on the second and third catego-ries.

3 Drug-Related offenses and a drug-using lifestyle aremajor contributors to the Crime users in the general population are morelikely than nonusers to commit crimesThe Department of Health and Human Services(HHS) National Household Survey on Drug Abuse asksindividuals living in households about their drug andalcohol use and their involvement in acts that could getthem in trouble with the police. Provisional data for 1991show that among adult respondents (ages 18 49), thosewho use cannabis (marijuana) or cocaine were much morelikely to commit crimes of all types than those who didTable 1. Criminal behavior and substance useamong 18- to 49-year-olds, 1991 provisional data Percent reporting alcohol and drug use inpast yearGotdrunkAlcohol,Alcoholmonthlycannab is,and(no CriminalandcannabisillicitAlcohol activitycocaine*only*drug use)only NoneAny underthe * Indicates use of each of these substances some time duringthe past year, not necessarily use of both/all at the same : Harrison & Gfroerer, inmates1991 Youth in custody1987 Sources: BJS, Drugs and jail inmates, 1989; BJS, Survey ofState prison inmates, 1991; BJS, Survey of youth in custody,1987not use these substances (table 1).

4 Of those reporting useof alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine during 1991, alsoreport that they committed violent crimes during the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) National CrimeVictimization Survey (NCVS) asks the victims of violentcrimes who reported seeing the offender whether theyperceived the offender to be under the influence of drugsor alcohol. According to the 1992 survey, about half thevictims could not determine whether the offender wasunder the influence of a substance. Of those who couldmake a determination, about 59% reported that the offen-der was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Themost common substance identified was alcohol notcombined with other drugs. About 20% reported thatoffenders were under the influence of drugs alone or incombination with frequently test positive for recentdrug useThe National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Drug Use Forecast-ing (DUF) Program measures drug use among arresteesby calculating the percentage of individuals with positiveurine tests for drug use.

5 DUF data are collected voluntar-ily and anonymously at the time of arrest from arrestees inbooking facilities in selected collected from male arrestees in 1992 in 24 citiesshowed that the percentage testing positive for any drugranged from 42% to 79% across the cities. Positive drugtests for females arrested ranged from 38% to 85%. Malearrestees charged with drug sale/possession were themost likely to test positive for drug use. Female arresteescharged with prostitution or drug sale/possession werethe most likely to test positive (table 2). Both males andfemales arrested for burglary and robbery had highpositive offenders were often under theinfluence of drugs when they committed theiroffensesSentenced jail and prison inmates were asked whetherthey were under the influence of drugs or drugs andalcohol at the time they committed the offense thatresulted in their incarceration.

6 The percentage of jail andprison inmates who reported they were under the influ-ence of drugs at the time of the offense varied across themajor offense categories. The 1991 BJS Survey ofInmates in State Correctional Facilities found that drugoffenders, burglars, and robbers were the most likely toreport having been under the influence of drugs. Prisoninmates convicted of homicide, assault, and public orderoffenses were among those least likely to report beingunder the influence of drugs. The 1989 BJS Survey ofInmates in Local Jails shows a similar pattern (figure 1). ofoffendersFigure 1. Offenders reporting being under theinfluence of drugs or drugs and alcohol at the timeof the offenseTable 2. Drug use by booked arrestees in 24selected cities, by charge at arrest, 1991 Percent testing positiveChargeMalesFemalesDrug sale/possession79%79%Burglary6863 Robbery6576 Larceny/theft6458 Probation/parole violation6160 Stolen property5874 Fraud/forgery56%51%Fight/escape/warrant5 266 Other5146 Weapons4962 Public peace/disturbance4861 Homicide4865 Assault48%50%Prostitution4785 Damage/destruction of property4557 Traffic offense4248 Family offense4038 Sex offense3768 Note: Positive by urinalysis.

7 Drugs tested for includedcocaine, opiates, PCP, marijuana, amphetamines,methadone, methaqualone, benzodiazepines, barbiturates,and propoxyphene. Female arrestees were not tested inthree : NIJ, Drug Use Forecasting, 1991 annual report3 The 1987 Survey of Youth in Custody findings are alsosimilar for violent and property offenses, but much higherfor drug often commit offenses to supporttheir drug habitAnother dimension of Drug-Related Crime is whether theoffense is committed to obtain money (or goods to sell toget money) to support drug use. According to BJSnational surveys, the most comprehensive informationavailable, an estimated 17% of 1991 State prison inmatesand 13% of convicted jail inmates in 1989 reportedcommitting their offenses to get money to buy drugs(table 3).

8 Offenders convicted of robbery, burglary, andlarceny/theft were most likely to commit their offense toobtain money to buy drugs. Offenders convicted of sexualassault and homicide were among the offenders leastlikely to commit the offense to sustain their drug trafficking generates violent crimeTrafficking in illicit drugs tends to be associated with thecommission of violent crimes. Reasons for the relation-ship of drug trafficking to violence include: competition for drug markets and customers disputes and ripoffs among individuals involved in theillegal drug market individuals who participate in drug trafficking are proneto use violence locations where street drug markets proliferate tend tobe disadvantaged economically and socially; legal andsocial controls against violence in such areas tend to proliferation of lethal weapons in recent years hasalso likely made drug violence more examined homicides in the 75 most populouscounties in the United States in 1988.

9 Many of thehomicides involved drugs or drug trafficking, includingthe following: drug manufacture, dispute over drugs, theftof drugs or drug money, a drug scam, a bad drug deal,punishment for drug theft, or illegal use of drugs. One ofthese circumstances was involved for 18% of defendantsand 16% of drug/ Crime relationship should beinterpreted cautiouslyThe drug/ Crime relationship is difficult to specifybecause Table 3. State prison and local jail inmates whocommitted their offense for money to buy drugs Percent of inmatesMost serious offenseState, 1991 Jail, 1989 All offenses17%13%Violent offenses12%12%Homicide53 Sexual assault22 Robbery2732 Assault63 Property offenses26%24%Burglary3031 Larceny/theft3128 Motor vehicle theftNR7 Drug offenses22%14%Possession1610 Trafficking2519 Public-order offenses5%3%NR = Offense category not reported : BJS, Survey of State prison inmates, 1991;BJS, Drugs and jail inmates, 1989 most crimes result from a variety of factors (personal,situational, cultural, economic), so even when drugs are acause, they are likely to be only one factor among many what is meant by Drug-Related varies from study tostudy.

10 Some studies interpret the mere presence of drugsas having causal relevance while other studies interpretthe relationship more narrowly reports by offenders about their drug use may exagger-ate or minimize the relevance of drugs; drug use mea-sures, such as urinalysis that identifies only very recentdrug use, are evidence indicates that drug users are more likelythan nonusers to commit crimes, that arrestees andinmates were often under the influence of a drug at thetime they committed their offense, and that drug traffick-ing generates violence. Assessing the nature and extent ofthe influence of drugs on Crime requires that reliableinformation about the offense and the offender be avail-able, and that definitions be consistent. In face of prob-lematic evidence, it is impossible to say quantitativelyhow much drugs influence the occurrence of statistics illustrate the difficulties in quantifyingthe drug- Crime relationship.