Researching Lived Experience of Drugs and Crime: A Phenomenological Study of Drug-Dependent Inmates.

Abstract

This study identified the main components of the drugs and crime experience of a sample of 25 drug-dependent inmates interviewed in prison. Text analyses were conducted using a phenomenological method. The sample was characterized by a disruptive childhood in multi-problematic families and deviant social contexts where drug use and crime were considered normal since early adolescence. Drug initiation involved recreational use of dance drugs and/or cocaine, and the pleasure experienced was identified as the cause of subsequent persistent use. Three pathways that led to dependence were identified: The narcissistic pathway was defined as involving uncontrolled cocaine and amphetamines to feel powerful and limitless. The posttraumatic pathway was defined as involving post-trauma self-destructive drug use, while the pain relief pathway was defined as involving multiple substances to relieve pain. The second and third pathways were more directly associated with crime aimed at sustaining drug use.