The relationship between drug use and crime

Abstract

The relationship between drugs and crime is quite convoluted, however this link is well established, especially the belief that illegal drug use and abuse generate crime. This research study aims to evaluate and investigate the connection between drug users and crime. Moreover, this research study examines how and why most people misuse drugs and what eventually leads them to do crime in order to finance their addiction. In order to get the best possible data, this research was conducted using both qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (questionnaires) data. The data gathered from these interviews and questionnaires assisted in establishing the relationship between drugs and crime in the local scenario, considering that there has been a lot of research on this relationship in other countries but lacking locally. The results gathered from the interviews and questionnaires demonstrate that drugs are easily accessible in Malta. In fact, results show that 60% to 70% of the inmates are serving time either because of drugs or for a drug related crime. It was also determined that the participants were more inclined to think that drug use leads to crime and not the other way around. The results also established that some drugs (cocaine and heroin) are more prone to leading individuals to commit crimes. The crimes which were mentioned the most to be committed by drug users are; theft, prostitution and violence. Also, it was established that synthetic drugs are becoming difficult to control, mainly because they are always changing, and urine front-line tests are not fully established for these drugs. Various factors were identified from these interviews and questionnaires in which they indicated why most people misuse drugs in the first place. These mainly were related to school factors, childhood factors, peer pressure, negative life events and family. All these factors conjoined together suggest that in fact the relationship between drug use and crime depends also on various tertiary factors such as genetics, history of drug use in families and peer pressure. The findings of this research study suggest that by exploring some measures and different options that could be taken in order to reduce the use of drugs, then this would also lead to a reduction in drug related crimes.