NCJ Number
185513
Date Published
January 2000
Length
68 pages
Annotation
This chapter explores changes and continuities in the drug-crime
relationship during the past several decades.
Abstract
First, it discusses the relationship in a historical context, as
it highlights changes in U.S. Federal policy. Next, it examines
the key methodological issues involved in empirically
understanding the drug-crime connection. This section identifies
inconsistencies in definitions and measurement of key variables
and discusses the advantages and limitations of alternative
sampling frames. The authors then trace trends in drug use and
crime over time by using national and city-level data sets. These
data show that trends vary by city and that there is no uniform
association between any type of drug use and any type of crime.
The chapter then presents general theoretical models of the
drug-crime connection, including theories that drug use causes
crime, that crime leads to drug use, and that both drug use and
crime are caused by the same factors. Next, the chapter reviews
the empirical research that supports and refutes these
explanatory models. The review concludes that one single model
cannot account for the drug-crime relationship. Rather, the
drug using, crime committing population is heterogeneous, and
there are multiple paths that lead to drug use and crime. The
chapter concludes with a discussion of policy options and
implications for the next century. 3 exhibits and 237 references
Date Published: January 1, 2000