Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Drugs and Crime in the UK

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Critically analyse the relationship
between Drugs and crime
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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Drug.............................................................................................................................................................4
Crime...........................................................................................................................................................6
Analyses the relationship between the drug and crime..............................................................................7
Theories of drug addiction...........................................................................................................................9
Theories of crime.......................................................................................................................................10
Prevention and strategy relationship between drug and crime................................................................13
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................16
References.................................................................................................................................................17
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Introduction
A drug is psychoactive substances that can be inhaled, smoked, injects, absorbed or consumed
to cause psychological or physiological changes. Drugs affect the function of CNS, altering the
mood, perception and consciousness. Denise Kandel coined the term ‘drug’ (Fraser et al., 2011).
In this assignment we will learn about the different categories of drug and the various reasons
for why peoples are taking drugs. We will study that cannabis is the most commonly used drug
in UK. We will be study the different types of crime and how the drugs and crime are related.
We will be providing the statistical data of drug and crime. We will analyse the relationship
between the drug and crime. There are three theories of drug addiction which will be discussed
in detail. We will study the four theories of crime explain the relationship between drug and
crime by theory in detail. We will discuss the different prevention mode and strategy
relationship between drug and crime
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Drug
Drugs are divided into four categories
 Depressant (alcohol, heroin and analgesics)
 Stimulants (nicotine, amphetamines and caffeine)
 Hallucinogens (magic mushrooms and LSD)
 Others (cannabis)
Drugs can be legal that is caffeine, alcohol and Tobacco or it can be illegal that is cannabis,
cocaine, ecstasy and heroin (Fraser et al., 2011).
There are various reasons for why peoples are taking drugs. Some are
 To be relax, fun and forget problems
 To gain socialize and confidence
 To relives stress or boredom
 To face the challenging problems in the society
 To commiserate or celebrate
There are various consequences of drug intake. It can impact the mental and physical health of
the individual. It leads to negative effects on social relationship. Cannabis is the most commonly
drug is used by the population in the UK (Fraser et al., 2011). Caffeine is the most popular drug
with daily consumption of 70mg per person. Teenagers and the young adults are mostly at a
risk of drug misuse and hence they are mostly associated with the crime.
In March 2017, 136,342 drug crimes have been recorded in the England. Drug crimes account
for 2.7% of all the offences recorded by police in March 2017 (Bean, P., 2014). In the last year
age group of 16 to 59 years , around 1 in every 11 adults (9.0%) had taken a drug. office of
National Statistics provide data on drinking and smoking, drug poisoning and its misuse, death
caused by the drug misuse. In 2016, 2593 death were occurred in England due to drug misuse
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(Bean, P., 2014). There was 7545 admission in the hospital due to drug related issue (Bean, P.,
2014).
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Crime
Crime is defined as something doing wrong which is not universally accepted (Holohan et al.,
2013). The different types of crime are:
 Battery
 Assault
 Kidnapping
 Homicide
 Sexual assault or rape
 Extortion
There are mainly three different categories of crimes:
Felonies: This is the most serious type of crime which is punishable for one or more year. In
some state there is death penalty also for such type of crimes. It includes murder, rape or
robbery.
Misdemeanors: This is less serious than felony crimes. People get punishment for less than one
year. It includes battery, assault, etc (Holohan et al., 2013).
Violations: violations crime includes not following the traffic rules and signals.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has introduced three ways that crime and drug are
related:
1) Crime defined by drug sale or possession
2) Crime related to drug misuse like stealing money to get drug
3) Crime related to lifestyle that forces the drug user to do an illegal activity
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Analyses the relationship between the drug and crime
There is complex or well established relationship between the drug and crime. Drug abusers
people are generally commit the crime for drugs. Drug abuser is more likely to involve in the
crime but there are various drug therapy treatment is carried out by the UK government to
overcome from drug addiction. Only 300,000 adults are taking treatment every year for drug
and alcohol dependence (Vera et al., 2016). Mostly heroin or cocaine is used by the drug
addicted people. There is significant reduction of drug use and crime by the drug treatment
therapy. Cocaine, crack and alcohol are most related to the violence. Heroin and cannabis are
not related to violence because of low price and easy availability of cannabis means that people
does not need to steal the money for buying the drug. Use of heroin was associated with crack
use and shoplifting.
In 2012, approximately 133,000 peoples had taken treatment for drug abuse, out of which 35%
peoples had criminal records in last two years and other 44% peoples didn’t offend any crime
after treatment therapy (Vera et al., 2016). Some studies shows that peoples seeking treatment
for opiates were mostly relapse. Older age people who are seeking treatment for opiates were
least likely to relapse. People who were committing crime due to drug related issue were
mostly due to unemployment, homelessness, lack of qualification or debilitated family
background. Opiates and cannabis users are generally associated with the criminal records
(Vera et al., 2016). Crime rates are generally associated with the polydrug user. Usually the
young individuals are associated with the criminal records. Drug misuse leads to various types
of harm which affect the individual in various ways:
If affect the health, wealth and social wellbeing of the individual. Some drugs are dangerous if it
is utilized in the excess amount. Few are addictive drugs. Some drug cause significant risk even
if it is taken in very small amount.
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Some people steal the money for the drugs. Even if the legal drug is costly and it has addiction
property, individual will steal the money or other thing to fulfill his demand (Everitt et al.,
2016).
There are various kinds of drug if it is taken in maternity time; it may cause serious health
damage to fetus. Smoking or alcohol intake by the female during gestation period causes cleft
lip and palate or other facial abnormality of fetus.
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Theories of drug addiction
Theories of drug addiction will explain why the individual get addicted to the drugs or why the
individual are dependent on the drugs. There are variety of approaches has been ruled out to
explain the drug addiction (Wood et al., 2006).
The very first approach is neurobiological approach which explains the addiction of drugs is due
to biological factor. There are so many genes that lead to drug addiction in the people. Genes
are the responsible for the drug dependence. There are various drug which have different
target action on the brain which they target the cell and cause drug addiction.
The second psychological approach which explains the cause of drug dependence is due to
behavioral model. The nature of an individual leads to addicted to the drugs. It is the individual
psychology which cause to drug dependence. There are so many factors in the psychological
approach which explain the drug addictions are cognitive theory, behavioral theory, personality
theory and learning and conditioning models (Lilleker et al., 2010).
The last is sociocultural approach which explains that cultural and environmental factor could
leads to drug addiction. Cultural factors cause an individual to be addicted to the drugs. In
various countries alcohol serve in the parties were normal and people drink alcohol causally
and hence it is a part of culture. In many cold cities people usually drink to cope up with the
situation and hence it is environmental factor which would make them to get addicted to this.
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Theories of crime
The main factor that cause an individual criminal behaviour in the lack of self-control. Basically
four theories of crime has been discussed which helps in crime identification and classification,
dispute resolution or punishment (Warren et al., 2011).
 Classical theory
 Biological theory
 Sociological theory
 Interactionist theory
Classical theory: Human beings have full freedom to live free and can make their decision self.
This theory explains that the crime is caused but the will of individual. Crime is an unethical
form of behaviour of an individual. Such behaviour can destroy the society. Punishment is
necessary to improve the human behaviour and it set as an example to others before
performing a crime certain laws and penalty could be charge from the criminals as it is the best
solution for crime protection (Warren et al., 2011).
Biological theory: This theory explains that the cause of crime is due to some genes. There are
some basis information of human has pass from generation to generation. Human DNA,
nutrition, environmental factor, brain trauma, exposure to drugs and alcohol can lead to
criminal behaviour of an individual (Warren et al., 2011). There are many drugs like
antipsychotic drugs; tranquilizers are used to alter the mood of an individual.
Sociological theory: There are various social factors would lead to crime such as dysfunctional
family bond, religious, culture and school. Positive environment can divert the individual away
from the criminal activities.
Interactionist theory: In adequate role in the social activities or independency is the main root
cause of criminal behaviour. People are looking for social standing and acceptance among the
group. Criminals should have the capability to change their behaviour. There should be the
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positive and friendly interaction with in the society which leads to changes criminal behaviour
of an individual (Warren et al., 2011).
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Theories that explaining the relationship between drug and crime
Goldstein proposes the three theories that explain the relationship between the drug and
crime (Nolan, J., 2017):
Psychopharmacological theory: this theory explain that the use of some drugs either in short or
long term would produces undesirable effect which may leads to change in human behaviour. It
can be related to both violent or property crime but it is usually linked with the violent crime.
34 percent people committed the crime under the influence of an illegal drug. 14 percent
committed crime under the effect of alcohol intake.
Economic motivation: This theory explains that crime rate is increasing due to finance the drug
habit. Many people offence the crime to fulfill their demands of drugs. They are usually stolen
the property or money or robbery something’s for paying the bad habit. In the recent studies
has shown that there are approx. 48 percent of crime were that of shoplifting, 28 percent by
burglary and 13 percent crime are street robbery such as mugging and bag snatches (Nolan, J.,
2017).
Systematic theory: Usually the distribution and use of an illegal drug or substance use is
directly linked to crime rate. Systematic crime are usually associated with drug administration
through transaction related crime, organizational crime and crime due to third party.
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