Drugs and Crime

Drugs and CrimeDrugs and Crime

PolicyPolicy

Drug use and crimeDrug use and crime

►Psychoactive drugs: alter conscious Psychoactive drugs: alter conscious awareness or perceptionawareness or perception

►Psychological dependency: person Psychological dependency: person craves a drugcraves a drug

►Physiological addiction: body becomes Physiological addiction: body becomes biochemically dependent on a drugbiochemically dependent on a drug

►Tolerance: greater doses are Tolerance: greater doses are necessary to produce the same effectnecessary to produce the same effect

Drugs & crimeDrugs & crime

►Withdrawal: physical and psychological Withdrawal: physical and psychological symptoms which develop in an addicted symptoms which develop in an addicted person when he or she abruptly stops or person when he or she abruptly stops or reduces intake of a drugreduces intake of a drug

►Central nervous system depressants: Central nervous system depressants: remove social inhibitions, relieve anxiety, remove social inhibitions, relieve anxiety, impair judgment. Include alcohol, impair judgment. Include alcohol, barbiturates and minor tranquilizersbarbiturates and minor tranquilizers

Drugs and crime:Drugs and crime:Pharmacological Pharmacological

classificationclassification►Central nervous system stimulants: Central nervous system stimulants:

addiction possible, stimulates alertness, addiction possible, stimulates alertness, wakefulness, euphoria; includes wakefulness, euphoria; includes amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine and amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine and cocaine and its derivatives (crack, ice)cocaine and its derivatives (crack, ice)

►Hallucinogens: non-addicting; effects Hallucinogens: non-addicting; effects include hallucinations, sense of include hallucinations, sense of timelessness & mystical insights; LSD, timelessness & mystical insights; LSD, mescaline, psilocybinmescaline, psilocybin

Drugs and crimeDrugs and crime

►Narcotics: highly addicting, acts as an Narcotics: highly addicting, acts as an analgesic, euphoria; includes morphine, analgesic, euphoria; includes morphine, heroin, codeine and Demerolheroin, codeine and Demerol

►Phencyclidine (PCP): not addicting; Phencyclidine (PCP): not addicting; causes mental confusion, unfocused causes mental confusion, unfocused aggression, pain relief aggression, pain relief

►Marijuana: not addicting, dose Marijuana: not addicting, dose dependent effects dependent effects

Legal classification of drugsLegal classification of drugs

►Drugs classified from Schedule I Drugs Drugs classified from Schedule I Drugs to Schedule V, with I the most to Schedule V, with I the most restricted and V the least restrictedrestricted and V the least restricted

►Classified based on: (1) medical Classified based on: (1) medical usage; and (2) potential for abuseusage; and (2) potential for abuse

►Note that alcohol is not included, yet if Note that alcohol is not included, yet if it were to be classified, it should be a it were to be classified, it should be a Schedule I drugSchedule I drug

Legal classificationLegal classification

► Schedule 1: high Schedule 1: high abuse potential, abuse potential, lack therapeutic lack therapeutic utility and safetyutility and safety

► II: high abuse II: high abuse potential, but potential, but currently accepted currently accepted for medical practice for medical practice

►Heroin, LSD, peyote, Heroin, LSD, peyote, PCP, mescalinePCP, mescaline

►Opium, cocaine, Opium, cocaine, morphine, morphine, benzedrine, benzedrine, methadone, methadone, amphetaminesamphetamines

Legal Legal

►Moderate abuse Moderate abuse potential, utilized in potential, utilized in medical practicemedical practice

► IV: low abuse IV: low abuse potentialpotential

► V: minimal abuse V: minimal abuse potential, currently potential, currently used in medical used in medical practicepractice

► Barbituates, Barbituates, amphetaminesamphetamines

►Darvon, Darvon, phenobarbitol, phenobarbitol, valiumvalium

► Cough medicines Cough medicines with small amounts with small amounts of narcoticsof narcotics

Substance abuse and Substance abuse and criminalitycriminality

►Clear link between drug use and Clear link between drug use and criminalitycriminality

►AlcoholAlcohol►Prison inmates 3 times as likely as Prison inmates 3 times as likely as

other males the same age to drink 2+ other males the same age to drink 2+ oz. of liquor per dayoz. of liquor per day

►25% indicated they had got drunk and 25% indicated they had got drunk and hurt someone during last 3 yearshurt someone during last 3 years


►Alcohol involved in 2/3 of homicides in Alcohol involved in 2/3 of homicides in a Philadelphia study, about 40% of rape a Philadelphia study, about 40% of rape casescases

►about 75% of arrestees have traces of about 75% of arrestees have traces of illegal drugs in their systems (DUF illegal drugs in their systems (DUF studies)studies)

► In a study of CA inmates, over 40% In a study of CA inmates, over 40% reported using “heavy drugs” in the reported using “heavy drugs” in the last 3 yearslast 3 years


►Heroin and crack have been most Heroin and crack have been most associated with chronic serious associated with chronic serious offendersoffenders

►HypothesesHypotheses►1. Psychopharmacological: drugs 1. Psychopharmacological: drugs

contribute to crime by reducing contribute to crime by reducing inhibitions (alcohol) or stimulating inhibitions (alcohol) or stimulating aggressive behavior (stimulants)aggressive behavior (stimulants)

Drugs and CrimeDrugs and Crime

►Economic Compulsivity hypothesis: Economic Compulsivity hypothesis: Addiction to substances contribute to Addiction to substances contribute to crime to support a habit.crime to support a habit.

►Studies of junkies have indicated that Studies of junkies have indicated that many commit crimes to obtain drugsmany commit crimes to obtain drugs

►Lifestyle hypothesis: Offenders both Lifestyle hypothesis: Offenders both use drugs and commit crimes as part use drugs and commit crimes as part of a lifestyleof a lifestyle


►Studies have found that some Studies have found that some individuals commit crimes after individuals commit crimes after becoming addicted (economic)becoming addicted (economic)

►Studies have also found that many Studies have also found that many abusers were committing crimes abusers were committing crimes before beginning drug usage. During before beginning drug usage. During periods of addiction, crimes tended to periods of addiction, crimes tended to increase considerably, referred to as increase considerably, referred to as “on a run.”“on a run.”


►For the latter group, decrease in For the latter group, decrease in substance abuse was associated with substance abuse was associated with a decrease, but not stopping, criminal a decrease, but not stopping, criminal activityactivity

►For a number of offenders, then, For a number of offenders, then, stopping drug use will not stop their stopping drug use will not stop their criminal behavior, although crimes criminal behavior, although crimes may decreasemay decrease


►Drugs may also contribute to crime by Drugs may also contribute to crime by adding to social disorderadding to social disorder

►Encouraging illegal activities on the Encouraging illegal activities on the part of those already inclined to part of those already inclined to violenceviolence

PoliciesPolicies

►Reducing drunkenness through Reducing drunkenness through increased taxation and cultural increased taxation and cultural discouragementdiscouragement

►Forbidding alcohol in public places to Forbidding alcohol in public places to the convicted (perhaps through an the convicted (perhaps through an altered driver’s license)altered driver’s license)

►Legalization of marijuanaLegalization of marijuana►Reduce volume of serious drugs Reduce volume of serious drugs

(cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin)(cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin)

PoliciesPolicies

►Making treatment more readily availableMaking treatment more readily available►Targeting higher level drug dealersTargeting higher level drug dealers►Long sentences for minor dealers takes Long sentences for minor dealers takes

up prison cellsup prison cells►Police tactics focussing on blatant drug Police tactics focussing on blatant drug

dealing (reducing disorder)dealing (reducing disorder)►More effective use of probation and More effective use of probation and

paroleparole►Use of methadoneUse of methadone

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Drugs and Crime