An Examination of the Relationship between Crime and Substance Use in a Drug/Alcohol Treatment Population

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Abstract
The patterns of criminal activity among 1544 members of a drug/alcohol treatment population are identified. A sizable number of the members have a history of involvement in crime. Most of the involvement is in the area of victimless crimes, such as narcotics possession, disorderly conduct and drunkenness. Person, property and victimless crimes are moderately intercorrelated. The relationships between patterns of criminal activity and drug/alcohol usage are also examined. Person crimes and victimless crimes are less likely to be committed under the influence of drugs than under the influence of alcohol. Property crimes are more likely to be committed to support a drug/alcohol addiction than are person or victimless crimes. While a majority of arrested addicts or alcoholics began their criminal behavior before they began using drugs on a regular basis, a large portion of them started using a substance during the same year as they launched their criminal careers or in previous years. While there is no relationship between the extent of drug/alcohol use and criminal behavior, the type of drug, especially when considered in conjunction with the age, race and sex of the individual, is partially associated with crime.

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