Name:

Title: Drug Addiction and criminal behavior

Course:

Date:

Drug Addiction and criminal behavior

Drug addiction since the past has been associated with moral decay and people who commit social evils are associated with drug abuse. A person may not be hooked to drugs, they may be casual users but yet they commit crime. A general assumption is made by the society that criminals are drug addicts and drug addicts are criminals. However you may be surprised to realize that such assumptions could not be any further from the truth. This paper will bring a new dimension in criminality and drug abuse, not based on the general societal assumption but based on the reality. In health sciences, we learn that the environment that a person is in affects their behavior. This paper links behavior with environment.

Most people get surprised when they find out that a close friend or relative is a drug addict but they had never suspected him or her. A general mentality has been created that a drug addict has to behave in a certain way and dress in a particular way. Most of us think that drug addicts are dirty and hate taking showers these are just stereotypes. People act and behave according to their environment, when surrounded by clean people; a drug addict will be clean and take regular showers. Some people are so good at hiding in such a way that you could never notice if something was bothering them or if they were up to something. Most drug addicts have developed such skills and they tend to camouflage and hide in the general population.

Criminals are not necessary drug addicts and I would not stress this any further. They are people who just chose to gain from what they did not sow and benefiting from bad deals. It may surprise many that some criminals have no experience using drugs. These are behavioral effects of the environment, if one is raised in the midst of criminals; they tend to live a life of crime. While growing a child is more likely to emulate the traits of those he grows up around, growing up around criminal minds then you can predict the outcome. The neighborhood is a point of interest; if a person is brought up in a neighborhood where they use drugs and engage in crime then he will most likely develop such a character.

Note here drug abuse and addiction is not considered as a criminal activity. Criminal activities in this text include being in gangs, rape and conducting robberies. When a person is raised or lives in an environment where there are no criminal activities but there is access to drugs. Such a person may become addicted to drugs but never engage in any single criminal activities. Drug addiction will come as an effect of easy access to drugs in the environment and it develops to a hobby. Such an environment is likely to have well educated people and people with a high income.

Other factors that may lead to drug addiction then crime include low income. Once a person is addicted to drugs they need to make money to sustain the habit. What does such a person do if he is unemployed or has low income? The best way to sustain the addiction and to have a regular supply of drugs is through crime. When a person engages in crime they will make easy money and will be able to buy more drugs.

Education level is also a factor that is closely associated with criminal activities after drug addiction. An educated person who is addicted to drugs may have a good job and is able to manage by hiding his addiction and not being affected in their work. A well educated person minds more about their reputation and will avoid engaging in criminal activities by all means. Such a person knows the danger of living a life of crime; it would ruin all that they worked for in school. They are also more likely surrounded by other educated friends who act as pillars and they watch each other. Their friends will tell them and warn them when the notice that something is not right.

In Conclusion

A person’s environment has effect on their behavior and lifestyle. However there are other factors that affect the behavior of a person and the lifestyle they live. Income levels and education level are factors that affect a person’s choice of lifestyle. People around us and the life they live also affect us and our living, we emulate those who we live with and try to adapt to the environment we find ourselves in. general assumptions that criminals are drug addicts and drug addicts are criminals in not true.

All criminals are not drug addicts while all drug addicts are not criminals. There exists a knowledge gap in understanding the real causes of criminality.

This research should bridge the knowledge gap that exists and should be a source of knowledge to all stake holders in society and law makers.

References

Hammersley, R. (1988). Drug Addiction and Crime. Addiction, 83(4), 445-446.

Hawthorne, J. W. (1932). A Group Test For The Measurement Of Cruelty-Compassion: A Proposed Means Of Recognizing Potential Criminalty. The Journal of Social Psychology, 3(2), 189-211.

Inciardi, J. A. (2008). The war on drugs IV: the continuing saga of the mysteries and miseries of intoxication, addiction, crime, and public policy (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Mieczkowski, T. M. (1996). The Prevalence Of Drug Use In The United States. Crime and Justice, 20, 349.

Fergusson, D. M., Boden, J. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2006). Cannabis Use And Other Illicit Drug Use: Testing The Cannabis Gateway Hypothesis. Addiction, 101(4), 556-569.

Benell, F. B. (1973). Drug Abuse And Venereal Disease Misconceptions Of A Selected Group Of College Students. Journal of School Health, 43(9), 584-587.