The relationship between amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) use and violent crime in Penang, Malaysia: findings from a preliminary study

Abstract

Amphetamine-type-stimulant (ATS) use in Malaysia has surged but the relationship between ATS use and crime remains poorly investigated. Our study sample consisted of 149 self-reported people who use ATS detained for armed, unarmed, and narcotic offences in a centre in Penang, Malaysia. All information was elicited through personal interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. A multinomial logistic regression used to determine the predictors of armed and unarmed violent crime (relative to narcotic offences) indicated higher odds of being detained for unarmed violence with the use of ATS prior to the crime. Detention for armed violence (rather than narcotic offences) was predicted by three factors: ATS use before committing the offence, a history of opiate use, and having engaged in physical assault over six months prior to detention. A logistic regression comparing armed to unarmed violence found that the odds of being detained for armed violence was increased by not only using ATS prior to the crime, but a history of opiate use and engaging in physical assault over six months before detention. There was, therefore, a significant positive association between ATS use and violent crime in the sample, underscoring the need for targeted treatment interventions for violent offenders who use ATS.