The Relationship of Preaddiction Characteristics to the Types and Amounts of Crime Committed by Narcotic Addicts

Abstract

Postaddiction crime rates among narcotic (principally heroin) addicts in five different areas (theft, violence, dealing, confidence games, and other crime) were found to be substantially related to a number of pre-addiction characteristics, especially criminal activity and drug and alcohol use prior to addiction to narcotics. Early family influences such as lack of religious training, history of parent's arrest, and use of drugs and alcohol by other family members also appear to play an important role. Early identification of extremely crime-prone individuals followed by intensive intervention efforts might reduce the amounts of crime such persons might otherwise commit.