drugs and crime essay

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The Relationship Between Drug Use And Crime Essay Examples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Drugs , Abuse , Social Issues , Relationships , Bullying , Criminal Justice , Crime , Violence

Words: 1200

Published: 01/28/2020

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Drug use and crime have a complicated and intricate relationship. Everyone who uses drugs does not become addicted to them, nor does everyone who uses drugs commit violent crimes. Apart from crime, the use of drugs gives rise to a variety of economic and social concerns, such as illness, early death, and considerable decline in productivity. Currently, two of the most obstinate social problems that the United States is facing are drug addiction and drug-related crimes. Policy makers and scholars have both held countless debates on the relationship between drug use and crimes, and the large volume of literature is proof of this. Goldstein (1985) was the first to suggest that drug use leads to crime. However, many researchers believe that not only does drug use lead to crime but even crime leads to drug use. Their assumption is that deviant individuals are more likely to find themselves in social situations where the use of drugs is common and they are encouraged to use drugs. The context for drug use stems from such a criminal subculture (White, 1990). Drug use and crime have long been connected to each other, and this research paper will analyze the association between the two. The notion that drugs lead to crime and a casual relationship between the two has been supported by various studies. After years of research, the apparent conclusion is that crime inherently stems from illegal drug use and that the commission of crimes encourages and supports dependence of different types of drugs, such as amphetamine, cocaine, crack, heroin, and marijuana (Anglin & Perrochet, 1998). Similarly, it has been noted that during periods when narcotic addiction was on the rise, the rates of crime were six times higher (Nurco, 1998). Numerous other studies show that rates of crime increased during periods of drug use. Much of this research focuses on the economic motivation model to explain the relationship between the use of drugs and property crime. However, there is also evidence that suggests that particular drugs, such as amphetamines, have a pharmacological effect on people that increases their likelihood of committing a crime (Gelles, 1994). Although the relationship between drug use and consequent criminal involvement has been documented by these studies, there have been preexisting differences in their analytical techniques. Some studies have even failed at established that the commission of crime likely arises of an increase in drug use. Although it a known fact that manufacturing, distributing, and carrying drugs is a crime, and it is also known that driving under the influence of drugs is also a criminal activity. However, it is far more complicated to discover how crime is related to the use of drugs. Counting offenses of violent behavior that have resulted from the effects of drug use is not easy. Additionally, the risk factors of drug addiction, violent temperament, and to commit crimes vary from person to person depending on their personality traits. Drug use and crime are both an indication that the individual has a lower self-control. Usually people with an impulsive nature are more willing to try drugs, and once addicted to these drugs, they may turn to street crime. A criminal offender is not created by drug use; however, the likelihood of committing criminal actions is indeed intensified by the use of drugs. Additionally, people who use drugs generally do not the requisite education to get a job or a legitimate occupation. Environmental factors, genetic factors, and lifestyle choices also determine who is more likely to abuse drugs and consequently commit crimes. Both Gizzi (2010) and Darke et al. (2010) have discovered that drug addicts are also more likely to commit violent crimes under the influence of certain drugs, such as methamphetamine, than others. Additionally, violent crimes are not the same as violent crimes, and the motives involved are also different. In comparison to people who have used other types of drugs, arrest records show that more offenses have been committed in the past by meth users, and many of the crimes committed by them were property crimes (Gizzi & Gerkin, 2010). Moreover, people on probation who have been previously convicted of violent crimes are more likely to abuse drugs and consequently engage in criminal activity, and often they also have mental health symptoms too (Webster et al., 2010). There are certain hindering factors that make it difficult to measure the relationship between drug use and crime. Nonetheless, evidence suggests that among male drug users who are arrested for committing violent crimes, the relationship between drug use and violent crime is mediated by poverty (Valdez et al., 2007). Researchers have also found that the use and abuse of drugs has a greater relationship with property crimes than with violent crimes. Even though, every year addictive drugs are tried by many people, but only a small number of them actually become addicted. There are many environmental and genetic factors that determine whether or not an individual may be vulnerable to become addicted and abuse a drug. Similarly, there are a variety of factors that cause people to commit crimes. Moreover, both drug use and the commission of crime have certain similar risk factors, such as employment, family environment, peer influences, poverty, and social support structure. Nonetheless, the fact that increased levels of crime are related to the use and abuse of drugs cannot be denied. The conclusion that has been reached through this research paper is that while a relationship between drug use and crime certainly exists, measuring it is difficult because the likelihood of a drug user committing a crime varies from person to person, and also depends on the type of drugs being used. The available literature on the relationship between drug use and crime also suggests that drug use is more likely to lead to property crime. It can also be hypothesized that crime rates to some extent can be reduced through drug treatment.

Anglin, M. D., & Perrochet, B. (1998). Drug use and crime: a historical review of research conducted by the ucla drug abuse research center. Substance Use and Misuse, 33(9), 1871-1914. Gelles, R. J. (1994). Alcohol and other drugs are associated with violence—they are not its cause. In R. J. Gelles & D. R. Loseke (Eds.), Current controversies on family violence (pp. 182-196). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Gizzi, M. C., & Gerkin, P. (2010). Methamphetamine use and criminal behavior. International Journal of Off- ender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 54(6), 915-936. Goldstein, P. J. (1985). The drugs/violence nexus: A tripartite conceptual framework. Journal of Drug Issues, (15), 143-174. Retrieved from http://www.drugpolicy.org/docUploads/nexus.pdf Nurco, D. N. (1998). A long-term program of research on drug use and crime. Substance Use and Misuse,33(9), 1817-1837. Valdez, A., Kaplan, C. D., & Curtis, R. L. (2007). Aggressive crime, alcohol and drug abuse, and concen- trated poverty in 24 u.s. urban areas. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse,33, 595-603. White, H. R. (1990). The drug use-delinquency connection in adolescence. In R. Weisheit (Ed.), Drugs, crime, and criminal justiceCincinnati: Anderson Publishing Company.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Drugs and Crime

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Drugs and Crime by Richard Wright , Scott Jacques LAST REVIEWED: 24 April 2017 LAST MODIFIED: 14 December 2009 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195396607-0061

The relationship between drugs and crime has a long history and is a mainstay of fiction, widely documented in media reports, and the subject of substantial scientific investigation. Drugs are not always illegal, and their sale and use does not always lead to crime. Nevertheless, drugs and crime are related to each other in at least three ways. First, the immediate effect of drugs on the mind and body may create mental or physical states that somehow facilitate aggression or theft. Second, drugs are connected to crime when a drug user has a pressing need to consume them but lacks the necessary funds to do so; such situations may lead to predatory crimes, including burglary, robbery, or theft, among others. A third way in which drugs and crime are related is that some psychoactive substances are illegal to use, trade (buy or sell), or grow/manufacture. When drugs are illegal, illicit market participants are unlikely to report being victimized to the police, which means that predators are more likely to prey on them; in turn, there may be retaliation when this happens. In short, drugs can be related to crime if they cause a mental or physical state conducive to lawbreaking, lead to a perceived need that results in the motivation to steal, or result in a decrease in access to formal mediation and a corresponding increase in predatory and retaliatory crimes.

Several general treatments provide a comprehensive review of the drugs-crime relationship. Although Goldstein 1985 is limited by its focus on violence, the framework it suggests is obviously applicable to nonviolent crimes. Conceived in general terms, Goldstein is suggesting that the psychopharmacological effect of drugs can increase the chances of any kind of crime occurring, the perceived need for drugs can increase predatory crimes (e.g., robbery, burglary, and theft) and entrepreneurial crimes (e.g., drug dealing or prostitution), and the absence of formal mediation can increase crimes of predation but can also spark retaliatory measures such as assault and murder. Two edited volumes, Tonry and Wilson 1990 and National Institute of Justice 2003 , offer a wide-ranging look at the current knowledge concerning the drugs-crime relationship. Goldstein, et al. 1997 provides qualitatively and quantitatively oriented chapters on the relationship between crack cocaine and violence. Inciardi and McElrath 2007 contains a series of papers on the drugs-crime connection, including Paul J. Goldstein’s influential paper on the topic. The basic facts surrounding the drugs-crime connection, such as definitions and statistics, are available from the ONCDP ( Office of National Drug Control Policy 2000 ) and the BJS ( Bureau of Justice Statistics 1998 and Bureau of Justice Statistics 2009 ).

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 1998. Alcohol and crime: An analysis of national data on the prevalence of alcohol involvement in crime . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

Presents and discusses statistical relationships between alcohol and crime.

Bureau of Justice Statistics. Drug and Crime Facts .

Website that provides an array of statistics on various drug-crime connections in the United States.

Goldstein, Paul J. 1985. The drugs/violence nexus: A tripartite conceptual framework. Journal of Drug Issues 15:493–506.

Provides the conceptual foundation for much of the post-1985 work on the drugs-violence relationship. This is a necessary read for all persons interested in the link between drugs and crime, especially violent crime.

Inciardi, James A., and Karen McElrath, eds. 2007. The American drug scene: An anthology . 5th ed. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

Provides a general overview of illicit drugs and drug use. One section, however, consists of a series of papers on the drugs-crime relationship. Included are discussions of the “date-rape drug” and Paul J. Goldstein’s classic article ( Goldstein 1985 ) on the drug-violence connection.

National Institute of Justice. 2003. Toward a drugs and crime research agenda for the 21st century . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

A comprehensive review of concepts, theories, and research on the drugs-crime relationship. Suggests avenues for future work based on the limitations of and gaps in previous research. This work is especially useful for persons interested in the economics of drugs and drug control. Available online .

Office of National Drug Control Policy. 2000. Drug-related crime . Rockville, MD: Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse.

Defines various potential drug-crime relationships and provides statistical data pertaining to those relationships. Available online .

Tonry, Michael, and James Q. Wilson, eds. 1990. Drugs and crime . Vol. 13 of Crime and justice: A review of research . Edited by Michael Tonry. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.

Explores several drugs-crime relationships, including the link between drugs and prostitution, predatory crime, and aggression.

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Race, Mass Incarceration, and the Disastrous War on Drugs

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This essay is part of the  Brennan Center’s series  examining  the punitive excess that has come to define America’s criminal legal system .

I have a long view of the criminal punishment system, having been in the trenches for nearly 40 years as an activist, lobbyist, legislative counsel, legal scholar, and policy analyst. So I was hardly surprised when Richard Nixon’s domestic policy advisor  John Ehrlichman  revealed in a 1994 interview that the “War on Drugs” had begun as a racially motivated crusade to criminalize Blacks and the anti-war left.

“We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin and then criminalizing them both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night in the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did,” Ehrlichman said.

Before the War on Drugs, explicit discrimination — and for decades, overtly racist lynching — were the primary weapons in the subjugation of Black people. Then mass incarceration, the gradual progeny of a number of congressional bills, made it so much easier. Most notably, the 1984  Comprehensive Crime Control and Safe Streets Act  eliminated parole in the federal system, resulting in an upsurge of  geriatric prisoners . Then the 1986  Anti-Drug Abuse Act  established mandatory minimum sentencing schemes, including the infamous 100-to-1 ratio between crack and powder cocaine sentences.  Its expansion  in 1988 added an overly broad definition of conspiracy to the mix. These laws flooded the federal system with people convicted of low-level and nonviolent drug offenses.

During the early 1990s, I walked the halls of Congress lobbying against various omnibus crime bills, which culminated in the granddaddy of them all — the  Violent Crime Control and Safe Streets Act  of 1994. This bill featured the largest expansion of the federal death penalty in modern times, the gutting of habeas corpus, the evisceration of the exclusionary rule, the trying of 13-year-olds as adults, and 100,000 new cops on the streets, which led to an explosion in racial profiling. It also included the elimination of Pell educational grants for prisoners, the implementation of the federal three strikes law, and monetary incentives to states to enact “truth-in-sentencing” laws, which subsidized an astronomical rise in prison construction across the country, lengthened the amount of time to be served, and solidified a mentality of meanness.

The prevailing narrative at the time was “tough on crime.” It was a narrative that caused then-candidate Bill Clinton to leave his presidential campaign trail to oversee the execution of a mentally challenged man in Arkansas. It was the same narrative that brought about the crack–powder cocaine disparity, supported the transfer of youth to adult courts, and popularized the myth of the Black child as “superpredator.”

With the proliferation of mandatory minimum sentences during the height of the War on Drugs, unnecessarily lengthy prison terms were robotically meted out with callous abandon. Shockingly severe sentences for drug offenses — 10, 20, 30 years, even life imprisonment — hardly raised an eyebrow. Traumatizing sentences that snatched parents from children and loved ones, destabilizing families and communities, became commonplace.

Such punishments should offend our society’s standard of decency. Why haven’t they? Most flabbergasting to me was the Supreme Court’s 1991  decision  asserting that mandatory life imprisonment for a first-time drug offense was not cruel and unusual punishment. The rationale was ludicrous. The Court actually held that although the punishment was cruel, it was not unusual.

The twisted logic reminded me of another Supreme Court  case  that had been decided a few years earlier. There, the Court allowed the execution of a man — despite overwhelming evidence of racial bias — because of fear that the floodgates would be opened to racial challenges in other aspects of criminal sentencing as well. Essentially, this ruling found that lengthy sentences in such cases are cruel, but they are usual. In other words, systemic racism exists, but because that is the norm, it is therefore constitutional.

In many instances, laws today are facially neutral and do not appear to discriminate intentionally. But the disparate treatment often built into our legal institutions allows discrimination to occur without the need of overt action. These laws look fair but nevertheless have a racially discriminatory impact that is structurally embedded in many police departments, prosecutor’s offices, and courtrooms.

Since the late 1980s, a combination of federal law enforcement policies, prosecutorial practices, and legislation resulted in Black people being disproportionately arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for possession and distribution of crack cocaine. Five grams of crack cocaine — the weight of a couple packs of sugar — was, for sentencing purposes, deemed the equivalent of 500 grams of powder cocaine; both resulted in the same five-year sentence. Although household surveys from the National Institute for Drug Abuse have revealed larger numbers of documented white crack cocaine users, the overwhelming number of arrests nonetheless came from Black communities who were disproportionately impacted by the facially neutral, yet illogically harsh, crack penalties.

For the system to be just, the public must be confident that at every stage of the process — from the initial investigation of crimes by police to the prosecution and punishment of those crimes — people in like circumstances are treated the same. Today, however, as yesterday, the criminal legal system strays far from that ideal, causing African Americans to often question, is it justice or “just-us?”

Fortunately, the tough-on-crime chorus that arose from the War on Drugs is disappearing and a new narrative is developing. I sensed the beginning of this with the 2008  Second Chance Reentry  bill and 2010  Fair Sentencing Act , which reduced the disparity between crack and powder cocaine. I smiled when the 2012 Supreme Court ruling in  Miller v. Alabama  came out, which held that mandatory life sentences without parole for children violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. In 2013, I was delighted when Attorney General Eric Holder announced his  Smart on Crime  policies, focusing federal prosecutions on large-scale drug traffickers rather than bit players. The following year, I applauded President Obama’s executive  clemency initiative  to provide relief for many people serving inordinately lengthy mandatory-minimum sentences. Despite its failure to become law, I celebrated the  Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act  of 2015, a carefully negotiated bipartisan bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2015; a few years later some of its provisions were incorporated as part of the 2018  First Step Act . All of these reforms would have been unthinkable when I first embarked on criminal legal system reform.

But all of this is not enough. We have experienced nearly five decades of destructive mass incarceration. There must be an end to the racist policies and severe sentences the War on Drugs brought us. We must not be content with piecemeal reform and baby-step progress.

Indeed, rather than steps, it is time for leaps and bounds. End all mandatory minimum sentences and invest in a health-centered approach to substance use disorders. Demand a second-look process with the presumption of release for those serving life-without-parole drug sentences. Make sentences retroactive where laws have changed. Support categorical clemencies to rectify past injustices.

It is time for bold action. We must not be satisfied with the norm, but work toward institutionalizing the demand for a standard of decency that values transformative change.

Nkechi Taifa is president of The Taifa Group LLC, convener of the Justice Roundtable, and author of the memoir,  Black Power, Black Lawyer: My Audacious Quest for Justice.

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Drug Use and Crime, Essay Example

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Introduction

Drug use and crime are directly correlated to criminal mischief. Criminal behavior and drug abuse have been linked for an extended period of time. Criminal behavior due to drug abuse can range from driving under the influence of narcotics or alcohol to violent robberies or rapes. Nonetheless, the relationship between drug use and crime is difficult to establish. The question to be answered is whether or not drug or alcohol use leads to criminal behavior. Statistics supports the fact that not all drug and alcohol users go out and commit crimes, however, statistics support that a great deal of crimes that are committed are done so by people under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Likewise, research has suggested that there is strong correlation between drug use and criminal behavior. There are many reasons why this may be so. Drug and alcohol users often have a distorted perception of reality. For example, “The Justice Department says 80 percent of the people who commit crimes are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Many addicts will do just about anything to support their habit.” (Reuter, Peter. 2009)

One key factor of crimes is alcohol. Alcohol affects crimes in several ways. Some crimes are even defined in relation to alcohol use. According to statistics, 1 in every 5 person arrested by police is under the influence of alcohol. Likewise, over 60 percent of all homicides committed in the United States are done so by someone under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol also plays a role in 75 percent of all stabbings 70 percent of all beatings, and 50 percent of all domestic assaults. A third of all offenders have had a problem with alcohol in the past or currently have an issue with alcohol. Among prison users, alcohol dependence was 2 times higher among female offenders than in the general free population.

A study also shows that there is a correlation between incarcerations and alcohol use. Even while in prison, 25 percent of prisoners in the United States have tested positive for alcohol use. (Thoumi, Francisco 2003)

The use of illegal drugs is considered a crime in the United States. Cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and amphetamines are drugs linked to violent behaviors .Violent crimes are often committed to support drug habits. For example, “Research on dependent opiate users have shown that the frequency of criminal behavior increases significantly during periods of dependence when compared to periods of abstinence.” (Zhang, Z. 2004) Drugs are related to crime because they affect the users personality. There is also a direct link between rapes, assaults, and other violent crimes with drug use. It is estimated that between 40 and 85 percent of all prostitutes are drug users. Both men and women prostitutes sell sex for money to support drug habits. Consequently, prostitutes are often the victim of violent crimes. Nonetheless, because of the kind of lives they live, prostitutes more than likely never support these crimes. Nearly 70 percent of all prostitutes have been victimized since they have been working the streets. Data collected from male arrestees in 2004 in 24 cities showed that the percentage testing positive for any drug ranged from 42 to 79 percent; in some instances more than half of the persons arrested were under the influence of some type of drug. (Zhang, Z. 2004)

An abundant amount of evidence supports the belief that drug users are more likely to commit crimes than non-drug users. This was supported by evidence that frequent arrests were under the influence of drug or alcohol at the time they committed the criminal behavior. Likewise, persons incarcerated are often under the influence of drugs and alcohol. There is an identifiable link between alcohol and drug use and criminal behavior.

Reuter, Peter. 2009. “Systemic Violence in Drug Markets.” Crime Law and Social Change 52:275–284

Thoumi, Francisco. 2003. Illegal Drugs, Economy, and Society in the Andes. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press

Zhang, Z. (2004). Drug and alcohol use and related matters among arrestees, 2003. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

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Drug, Crime and Violence Descriptive Essay

There are several ways through which crime is related to illegal drugs. For example, distribution, manufacturing and possession of outlawed drugs are criminal offenses in the United States and many other parts of the world. Some of the drugs that have been noted to be potentially harmful include amphetamine, morphine, heroin and cocaine. These drugs are frequently abused and also have serious negative effects towards the normal functioning of the human body and mind (MacCoun, Kilmer and Reuter 70).

There are gangs, organized criminals and drug cartels that carry out the production and trafficking of these drugs to designated locations. It is imperative to mention that sexual assaults and robbery with violence are some of the drug-related crimes common in modern society. This essay offers a brief discussion of how the abuse of illegal drugs is related to both crime and violence.

Violent crime is an act whereby one person threatens or uses force on another person with the aim of obtaining something forcefully. It may entail murder, robbery, rape or assault (Jacobs 135). There are five types of crimes that are violent according to United States Department of Justice.

These include murder, rape or sexual assault, robbery as well as simple and aggravated assault. However, weapons and threats may not necessary be involved in a violent crime (Goldstein 79). This interpretation of violent crime is misleading people because it should entail physical injury.

Assault is a form of crime that occurs when an individual threatens or uses force knowingly on another person. Individuals who abuse drugs are highly likely to engage in assault crime because they are not psychologically stable. Rape is another type of violent crime that involves forcible sexual acts against an unwilling partner. Drug abusers also engage in robbery crime. The latter involves the use of dangerous weapons by the perpetrators. There are several cases of murder that have been related to perpetrators who are drug addicts.

It is prudent to mention that drug and violence have been noted to be closely related to each other according to some of the latest crime statistics. Hence, it is necessary for the law enforcing agencies to address the drug menace issue before handling actual cases of crime and violence on the ground.

Individual perpetrators who are under the influence of hard drugs such as cocaine, bhang and heroin, are often victims of illegal acquisition and ownership of weapons. These dangerous weapons are then used to commit acts of crime since they need monetary resources to sustain their lives with drugs.

In any case, these drugs are damn expensive and addictive. Therefore, victims of drug abuse are emotionally compelled to satisfy their addictive biological systems using any available means (Moore par.2). It is not possible to separate crime and drugs.

There is also a direct relationship between poverty and crime alongside the use of illegal drugs. Jacobs (134) notes that most poor people find solace in abusing drugs before even turning into crime. Perhaps, poverty can be linked to drug abuse and the emergence of criminal gangs that peddle and traffic dangerous drugs.

Goldstein (96) notes that the increase of violence in the contemporary American society is due to rampant use and excessive abuse of drugs. This implies that the use of drugs, poverty and crime are part and parcel of one significant challenge facing the society today. Therefore, anti drugs abuse and poverty reduction campaigns should be reinforced in order to minimize the rising rate of crime.

Works Cited

Goldstein, Paul. “The Drugs/Violence Nexus: A Tripartite Conceptual Framework,” In James Inciardi and Karen McElrath, The American Drug Scene (6 th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.

Jacobs, Bruce. “Order Beyond the Law,” In Robbing Drug Dealers: Violence Beyond the Law . New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 2000. Print.

MacCoun Robert, Beau Kilmer and Peter Reuter. Research on Drugs-Crime Linkages: The Next Generation in National Institute of Justice, Toward a Drugs and Crime Research Agenda for the 21st Century . Washington D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 2003. Print.

Moore, Solomon. Trying to Break Cycle of Prison at Street Level . 2007. Web.

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Essay On Drugs And Crime

• Post category: Essay
• Reading time: 12 mins read

The link between drug use and crime is not a new one. For more than twenty years, there have been many researches to try to better understand the connection. One such study was done on heroin users. This study found high rates of criminality among users during periods of active drug use and much lower rates during periods of non-use.

A large number of people who abuse drugs come into contact with the criminal justice system when they are sent to jail or to other correctional facilities. The criminal justice system is flooded with substance abusers. The need for expanding drug abuse treatment for this group of people was recognised in the Crime Act of 1994, which for the first time provided substantial resources for federal and state jurisdictions. Experts have developed the general theory of crime.

According to their theory, the criminal act and the criminal offender are separate concepts. The criminal act is perceived as opportunity, illegal activities that people engage in when they perceive them to be advantageous. Crimes are committed when they promise rewards with minimum threat of pain or punishment.

Crimes that provide easy, short-term gratification are often committed. The number of offenders may remain the same, while crime rates fluctuate due to the amount of opportunity. Criminal offenders are people that are predisposed to committing crimes. This does not mean that they have no choice in the matter, it only means that their self-control level is lower than average. When a person has limited selfcontrol, they tend to be more impulsive and shortsighted.

This ties back in with crimes that are committed that provide easy, short-term gratification. These people do not necessarily have a tendency to commit crimes, they just do not look at long-term consequences and they tend to be reckless and selfcentred. These people with lower levels of self-control also engage in non-criminal acts as well. These acts include drinking, gambling, smoking and illicit sexual activity.

Also, drug use is a common act that is performed by these people. They do not look at the consequences of the drugs, while they get the shortterm gratification. Sometimes this drug abuse becomes an addiction and then the person will commit other small crimes to get the drugs or them money to get the drugs. In a study done, there was a significant relationship between self-control and use of illegal drugs.

The problem is once these people get into the criminal justice system, it is hard to get them out. After they do their time and are released, it is much easier to be sent back to prison. Once they are out, they revert back to their impulsive selves and continue with the only type of life they know. They know short-term gratification, the ‘quick fix’ if you will. Being locked up with thousands of other people in the same situation as them is not going to change them at all. They break parole and are sent back to prison.

Since the second half of the 1980’s, there has been a large growth in prison and jail populations, continuing a trend that started in the 1970’s. The proportion of drug users in the incarcerated population also grew at the same time. By the end of the 1980’s, about one-third of those sent to state prisons had been convicted of a drug offence, the highest in the country’s history. With the arrival of crack use in the 1980’s, the strong relationship between drugs and crime got stronger. The use of cocaine and heroin became very prevalent.

In the United States, therapeutic communities are used in the treatment of drug addicts in and out of prison. These communities involve a type of group therapy that focusses more on the person as a whole and not so much the offence they committed or their drug abuse. They use a ‘community of peers’ and role models rather than professional clinicians. They focus on lifestyle changes and tend to be more holistic. By getting inmates to participate in these programs, the prisoners can break their addiction to drugs. By freeing themselves from this addiction they can change their lives.

These therapeutic communities can teach them some self-control and ways that they can direct their energies into more productive things, such as sports, religion or work. Seven out of every ten men and eight out of every ten women in the criminal justice system used drugs with some regularity prior to entering the criminal justice system.

With that many people in prisons that are using drugs and the connection between drug use and crime, then if there was any success at all it seems like it would be a step in the right direction. Many of these offenders will not seek any type of reform when they are in the community.

They feel that they do not have the time to commit to go through a program of rehabilitation. It makes sense, then, that they should receive treatment while in prison because one thing they have plenty of is time. In 1979, around four per cent of the prison population or about 10,000, were receiving treatment through the 160 programs that were available throughout the country. Forty-nine of these programs were based on the therapeutic community model, which served around 4,200 prisoners.

In 1989, the percentage of prisoners that participated in these programs grew to about elever. per cent. Some incomplete surveys state today that over half the states provide some form of treatment to their prisoners and about twenty per cent of identified drug-using offenders are using these programs. The public started realising that drug abuse and crime were on the rise and that something had to be done about it. This led to more federal money being put into treatment programs in prisons.

In most therapeutic communities, recovered drug users are placed in a therapeutic environment, isolated from the general prison population. This is due to the fact that if they live with the general population, it is much harder to break away from old habits. The primary clinical staff is usually made up of former substance abusers that at one time were rehabilitated in therapeutic communities.

The perspective of the treatment is that the problem is with the whole person and not the drug. The addiction is a symptom and not the core of the disorder. The primary goal is to change patterns of behaviour, thinking and feeling that predispose drug use. This returns to the general theory of crime and the argument that it is the opportunity that creates the problem. If you take away the opportunity to commit crimes by changing one’s behaviour and thinking then the opportunity will not arise for the person to commit these crimes that were readily available in the past.

The most effective form of therapeutic community intervention involves three stages: incarceration, work release and parole or other form of supervision. The primary stage needs to consist of a prison-based therapeutic community. Pro-social values should be taught in an environment that is separate from the normal prison population. This should be an ongoing and evolving process that lasts at least twelve months, with the ability to stay longer if it is deemed necessary.

The prisoners need to grasp the concept of the addiction cycle and interact with other recovering addicts. The second stage should include a transitional work release program. This is a form of partial incarceration in which inmates that are approaching release dates can work for pay in the free community, but they must spend their non working hours in either the institution or a work release facility.

The only problem here is that during their stay at this facility, they are reintroduced to groups and behaviours that put them there in the first place. If it is possible, these recovering addicts should stay together and live in a separate environment than the general population. Once the inmate is released into the free community, he or she will remain under the supervision of a parole officer or some other type of supervisory program. Treatment should continue through either outpatient counselling or group therapy.

The main question that arises when dealing with this subject is whether or not people change. According to experts, the person does not change. only the opportunity changes. By separating themselves from people that commit crimes and commonly do drugs, they are actually avoiding the opportunity to commit these crimes.

They do not put themselves in the situation that would allow their low self-control to take over. Starting relationships with people who exhibit selfcontrol and ending relationships with those who do not is a major factor in the frequency of committing crimes.

Addiction treatment is very important to a country’s war on drugs. While these abusers are incarcerated, it provides us with an excellent opportunity to give them treatment. The will not seek treatment on their own. Without treatment, the chances of them continuing on with their past behaviour are very high. But with the treatment programs, things might be looking up.

The studies done on the various programs prove that there are cost effective ways available to treat these prisoners. Not only are they cost effective, but they are also proven to reduce relapse rates significantly. These findings are very consistent throughout all of the research, there are not opposing views.

We can effectively treat these prisoners while they are imprisoned and they can be released into society and be productive, not destructive. Nothing else has worked to this point, we owe it to them, and more importantly, we owe it to ourselves. We can again feel safe on the streets after dark and we do not have to spend so much of our money to do it.

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Essay on Drug Abuse in 250 and 500 Words in English for Students

• Updated on  
• Apr 2, 2024

Drug abuse refers to the excessive and frequent consumption of drugs. Drug abuse can have several harmful effects on our mental and physical health. Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the USA, passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and initiated the War on Drugs . He said, ‘Let us not forget who we are. Drug abuse is a repudiation of everything America is.’

Consuming drugs not only harms the individual himself but also affects society as a whole. Studies have shown that people who consume drugs become addicted to it. This addiction turns into substance abuse, resulting in self-damage, behaviour changes, mood swings, unnecessary weight loss, and several other health problems. Let’s understand what drug abuse is and how to fight it.

This Blog Includes:

Essay on drug abuse in 250 words, why do people consume drugs, why is drug abuse bad, laws in india against drug consumption, steps to prevent drug addiction, 10 lines essay on drug abuse.

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‘When people consume drugs regularly and become addicted to it, it is known as drug abuse. In medical terminology, drugs means medicines. However, the consumption of drugs is for non-medical purposes. It involves the consumption of substances in illegal and harmful ways, such as swallowing, inhaling, or injecting. When drugs are consumed, they are mixed into our bloodstream, affecting our neural system and brain functioning.

The Indian government has taken significant steps to help reduce the consumption of drugs. In 1985, the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act came into force. This act replaced the Opium Act of 1857, the Opium Act of 1878, and the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1930. 

Drug abuse can lead to addiction, where a person becomes physically or psychologically dependent on the substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms when attempting to stop using it. 

Drug abuse can have serious consequences for the individual and society as a whole. On an individual level, drugs can damage physical health, including organ damage, infectious diseases, and overdose fatalities. Not only this, a person already suffering from mental health disorders will face more harmful aftereffects. Addiction disrupts our cognitive functioning and impairs our decision-making abilities.

To fight drug abuse, we need collective action from all sections of society. Medical professionals say that early intervention and screening programmes can identify individuals at risk of substance misuse and provide them with the necessary support services. Educating people, especially those who are at-risk, about drug abuse and its harmful effects can significantly help reduce their consumption.

Drug abuse is serious and it must be addressed. Drug abuse is killing youth and society. Therefore, it is an urgent topic to address, and only through sustainable and collective efforts can we address this problem.

Quick Read: Success in Life Speech

Essay on Drug Abuse in 500 Words

Drug abuse is known as frequent consumption. In time, these people become dependent on drugs for several reasons. Curiosity drives adolescents and teenagers, who are among the most susceptible groups in our society. Cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, etc. are some of the popular drugs consumed. 

The very first question about drugs is: why do people consume drugs? Studies have shown that more than 50% of drug addicts consider drugs as a coping mechanism to alleviate emotional or psychological distress. In the beginning, drugs temporarily relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, or trauma, providing a temporary escape from difficult emotions or life circumstances. 

Some consume drugs out of curiosity, some under peer pressure, and some want to escape the painful experiences. Some people enjoy the effects drugs produce, such as euphoria, relaxation, and altered perceptions. Recreational drug use may occur in social settings or as a form of self-medication for stress relief or relaxation.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that drugs can worsen our eyesight and body movement, our physical growth, etc. Marijuana, one of the most popular drugs, can slow down our reaction time, affecting our time and distance judgement and decreasing coordination. Cocaine and Methamphetamine can make the consumer aggressive and careless.

Our brain is the first victim of drugs. Drugs can disorder our body in several ways, from damaging organs to messing with our brains. Drugs easily get mixed into our bloodstream, and affect our neural system. Prolonged and excessive consumption of drugs significantly harms our brain functioning.

The next target of drug abuse is our physical health and relationships. Drugs can damage our vital organs, such as the liver, heart, lungs, and brain. For example, heavy alcohol use can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, while cocaine use can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Here is an interesting thing; the USA has the highest number of drug addicts and also has strict laws against drug consumption. According to a report by the Narcotics Control Bureau, around 9 million people in India consume different types of drugs. The Indian government has implemented certain laws against drug consumption and production.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS), prohibits the production, sale, purchase, and consumption of narcotics and other illegal substances, except for scientific and medical purposes.

Also, Article 47 of the Indian Constitution states that ‘ The State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health.’

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Several steps can be taken to prevent drug addiction. But before we start our ‘War on Drugs’ , it is crucial to understand the trigger point. Our social environment, mental health issues and sometimes genetic factors can play a role in drug abuse.

• Education and awareness are the primary weapons in the fight against drugs. 
• Keeping distance from people and places addicted to drugs.
• Encourage a healthy and active lifestyle and indulge in physical workouts.
• Watch motivating videos and listen to sound music.
• Self-motivate yourself to stop consuming drugs.
• Talk to a medical professional or a psychiatrist, who will guide you to the right path.

Drug abuse is a serious problem. The excessive and frequent consumption of drugs not only harms the individual but also affects society as a whole. Only a collective approach from lawmakers, healthcare professionals, educators, community leaders, and individuals themselves can combat drug abuse effectively. 

Quick Read: Speech About Life

Here is a 10-line essay on drug abuse.

• Drug abuse can significantly affect our physical growth
• Drug abuse can affect our mental functioning.
• Drug abuse may provide instant pleasure, but inside, it weakens our willpower and physical strength.
• Educating people, especially those who are at-risk, about drug abuse and its harmful effects can significantly help reduce their consumption.
•  Drugs easily get mixed into our bloodstream, and affect our neural system. 
• Prolonged and excessive consumption of drugs significantly harms our brain functioning.
• In 1985, the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act came into force.
• The USA has the highest number of drug addicts and also has strict laws against drug consumption.
• Drug addicts consider drugs as a coping mechanism to alleviate emotional or psychological distress.
•  Adolescents and teenagers are the most vulnerable section of our society and are driven by curiosity.

Ans: Drug abuse refers to the excessive and frequent consumption of drugs. Drug abuse can have several harmful effects on our mental and physical health.

Ans: ‘When people consume drugs regularly and become addicted to it, it is known as drug abuse. In medical terminology, drugs means medicines. However, the consumption of drugs is for non-medical purposes. It involves the consumption of substances in illegal and harmful ways, such as swallowing, inhaling, or injecting. When drugs are consumed, they are mixed into our bloodstream, affecting our neural system and brain functioning.

Ans: Drug abuse is known as frequent consumption. In time, these people become dependent on drugs for several reasons. Adolescents and teenagers are the most vulnerable section of our society who are driven by curiosity. Cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, etc. are some of the popular drugs consumed.  The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS), prohibits the production, sale, purchase, and consumption of narcotics and other illegal substances, except for scientific and medical purposes.

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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