NCJ Number
25917
Date Published
1974
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES AND ANALYZES IN DETAIL THE CRIMINAL AND DRUG USING HISTORIES, AND THE SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS, OF A SERIES OF OPIATE USERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Abstract
IN THE PRESENT SERIES OF PATIENTS ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE MALES AND LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES HAD HAD CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS PRIOR TO ANY ADMITTED DRUG USE. BY THE TIME THEY HAD BEEN FORMALLY DEFINED AS 'ADDICTS', THAT IS, WERE REPORTED TO THE HOME OFFICE, 70 PERCENT OF MALES AND 45 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES HAD BEEN CONVICTED AT LEAST ONCE. THUS THE PATIENTS CERTAINLY DID NOT BEGIN TO COMMIT CRIMES, OR MORE PRECISELY TO BE CONVICTED OF OFFENCE, ONLY AFTER THEY HAD BEEN DEFINED AS ADDICTS. THE EVIDENCE INSTEAD SUGGESTS THAT A CONSIDERABLY GREATER PROPORTION OF BOTH SEXES HAD, BY THE AGE OF 21 AND BEFORE DEFINITION AS ADDICTS, BEEN CONVICTED AT LEAST ONCE COMPARED WITH THE PROPORTION EXPECTED TO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED IN THE GENERAL POPULATION.