The link between crime severity and drug and alcohol dependence
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Lisa Vartanian (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- L. Alvin Malesky, Jr.
Abstract: There are many theories about what causes crime and how crimes may be related to drugs. Goldstein (1985) proposed that there are three ways that drugs and crime interact: economic compulsion, psychopharmacological effects, and systemic crimes. The economic compulsion crime is when an offender commits a crime to obtain money for drugs, while the psychopharmacological effects of drugs may cause a person to have less inhibition and therefore commit a crime. The systemic crime is when a crime happens as a result of the drug lifestyle (such as a robbery that occurs during a drug deal).
The present study focuses on how dependency affects crime severity level. It was hypothesized that those who are dependent on drugs commit nonviolent or substance related crimes, while those who are dependent on alcohol commit crimes that are more violent. It was also asked whether early onset of drug use (before the age of 16) led to more contact with the criminal justice system, and whether early onset of drug use (before age 16) also led to more severe crimes.
Results revealed that those who are dependent on drugs commit more substance related crimes compared to those who are not dependent, and that those who are dependent on alcohol commit crimes that are more violent. It was also found that early drug use (prior to age 16), being dependent on drugs only, alcohol only, and dependent on both drugs and alcohol led to more arrests. In addition, it was also found that there was no effect of age of onset and charge severity. However, it was found that being dependent on drugs and having 1-3 prior arrests was significantly associated with being charged with a felony offense, while being dependent on alcohol was significantly associated with being charged with a misdemeanor.
These results indicate that more treatment programs are necessary to treat substance dependence rather than punishing dependence by placing offenders in jail or prison.
The link between crime severity and drug and alcohol dependence
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Created on 4/1/2013
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2013
- Subjects
- Drug abuse and crime -- United States
- Drug abuse -- Social aspects -- United States
- Drug abuse -- Age factors -- United States
- Alcoholism and crime -- United States
- Alcoholism -- Social aspects -- United States
- Alcoholism -- Age factors -- United States