Drugs and Crime
| DOI | 10.1177/026455050104800110 |
| Author | Julian Buchanan |
| Date | 01 March 2001 |
| Published date | 01 March 2001 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
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Julian
Buchanan
Senior
Lecturer
in
Social
Work,
North
East
Wales
Institute
Drugs
and
Crime
Based
on
four
studies
in
London,
Liverpool,
Nottmgham
and
Southampton,
this
detailed
and
broad
rangmg
survey
involved
structured
mterviews
with
and
urine
analysis
of
over
500
arrestees.
It
is
part
of
a
major
research
programme
named
’NEW-ADAM’
(the
New
English
and
Welsh
Arrestee
Drug
Abuse
Momtormg),
which
aims
to
achieve
a
better
understanding
of
the
links
between
drugs
and
crime.
Iromcally,
it
has
not
yet
involved
drug
users
living
m
Wales,
so
perhaps
it
should
remam
the
NEADAM
programme
until
it
does!
The
interviews
and
urine
analysis
of
arrestees
were
all
voluntary
with
confidentiality
assured.
The
research
provides
rich
data
and
is
broken
down
mto
a
range
of
key
areas
including:
.
Unnanalysis
findings
on
all
drugs
.
Self
reported
drug
use
.
Expenditure
on
drugs
.
Legal
and
illegal
income
.
Self
reported
crime
.
Offences
committed and
particular
drugs
taken
.
Health
and
drugs
.
Treatment
.
Drug
markets
.
Weapons
and
guns
Sixty-four
percent
of
the
arrestees
tested
positive
for
an
illegal
drug,
with
28%
testing
positive
for
opiates.
Support
for
the
’normalisation’
thesis
was
found
m
the
fact
that
almost
half
of
the
arrestees
tested
positive
for
cannabis.
However,
it
has
to
be borne
in
mmd
that
cannabis
stays
m
the
blood
stream
much
longer
than
other
widely
used
illegal
drugs.
Self
reporting
mdicates
increasmg
use
of
both
heroin
and
crack
cocame
use
over
the
period
of
subsequent
studies
(1997-1999).
Arrestees
who
had
admitted
to
using
both
herom
and
cocaine
at
some
point
in
the
past
year
admitted
to
spending
an
average
of
£308
on
drugs
m
the
past
week.
Illegal
mcomes
varied
considerably
with
arrestees
in
Liverpool
earning
the
highest
average
amounts
of
£9,000
a
year.
The
168
heroin
and
crack/cocaine
users
in
the
study
generated
a
staggenng
combmed
illegal
income
totalling
over
£2
million
in
the
past
year.
This
is
clear
evidence
that
strong
links
do
exist
(as
if
we
didn’t
already
know)
between
heroin/crack
cocaine
use
and
increased
crime.
What
may
be
more
mteresting
is
that
the
crimes
that
are
more
likely
to
be
committed
by
heroin/crack
cocaine
users
are
predommantly
shoplifting
(69%)
and
handlmg
(44%),
with
only
11 %
involved
in
burglary
of
a
dwelling.
Indeed,
the
statistics
for
burglary
of
a
dwelling
do
not
appear
to
show
significant
differences
between
dependent
drug
users
and
non-
dependent drug
users.
This
challenges
popuhst
portrayals
of
most
problem
drug
users
commiting
burglary
to
fund
their
habit.
Like
many
other
reports,
the
fmdmgs
of
this
research
once
again
indicate
substantial
unmet
need
m
respect
of
drug
users
accessmg
treatment.
The
balance
of
resources
appears
too
heavily
weighted
towards
ineffective
drug
law
enforcement,
while
much
needed
drug
treatment
services
with
a
proven
effectiveness
contmue
to
be
under-resourced.
Questions
regarding
the
availability
and
prevalence
of
drugs
revealed
that
80%
of
arrestees
were
able
to
purchase
their
drug
without
having
to
leave
their
local
area.
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