The criminality of new drug users in Glasgow

Abstract

The drug use and crime of 210 teenage licit and illicit drug users were examined. Over 90% of the sample, including non-users, soft drug users, opioid users and injectors, were obtained via the same 'snowball' of friends and acquaintances. None had been injecting for more than 2 years. It was found that the frequency of use of all licit and illict drugs and the frequency of all crimes were intercorrelated. However, even many of the opioid injectors in this sample were not near-daily users and 'addiction' did not explain the results of regression equations predicting crime and drug use; crime explained drug use more than drug use explained crime and drug use was not a major unique predictor of theft. The criminal drug-using teenagers in this sample were better regarded as 'delinquents' than as 'drug-abusers' or 'drug addicts'. Delinquent behaviour of all kinds appeared to be increased by prior criminal experience, having delinquent friends and lack of conventional social support (notably including having spent time in care). Implications of these findings for theories of delinquency and the practice of treatment and prevention are discussed.