Question

Discuss the drug-crime connection and to what extent the two are interrelated. What, in your opinion, could be done to change this?

Answer 1

"Drug use is associated with criminal behaviour", this is the perception most of us have. But if we speak scientifically the link between drug and crime is very complex. There are three theoretical models, originally proposed by Goldstein which serve as a framework to analyze the relationship between drugs and crime. The first model suggests that crime is linked to the psycho pharmacological effects of certain drugs; in other words, it refers to intoxication by drugs which can cause lack of self-control, paranoid thoughts or distorting inhibitions and perceptions. The second model refers to economic-compulsive crime and suggests that drug users commit crimes in order to get money to buy drugs. Thirdly, the systemic model suggests that crime among drug users is linked to the drug market. The statistical relationship between drug use and crime is convincing at first glance, but it is not possible to draw a conclusion regarding a definite cause-and-effect link between the two phenomena. That's why the interrelation between drug-crime connection is very complex scientifically speaking.

In order to change this first of all we need to understand that It is wrong to think that eliminating drugs from a person’s day-to-day life will definitely put an end to criminal activity. This realization is important in terms of intervention and policy development to reduce the drug usage and crime associated associated with it, if any.