Nondrug Criminal Behavior and Heroin Use

Abstract

This research was carried out to assess various aspects of nondrug criminal behavior and heroin use. The investigation involved three areas: (1) the temporal sequence of criminal involvement, (2) crimes associated with heroin use, and (3) the impact of treatment upon reducing nondrug criminality among heroin users. These three areas were examined by computer analysis of previously collected data. These data were provided by the Drug Abuse Epidemiology Data Center, Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University. The findings of this analysis suggested several conclusions. The first was that nondrug criminality predates heroin use since there was little association between the age at which heroin use starts and the ages when various nondrug crimes were first committed. Second, heroin users commit crimes which generate income regardless of whether or not they are violent. Finally, the success of treatment in reducing nondrug criminality is related to the amount of prior criminality.