The Link between Drugs and Crime

There has always been a link between crime and substance abuse. The crimes can be anything from drunk driving, assault, prostitution and robberies to domestic violence and even rape. The list can go on and on...

However, sometimes the link between substance abuse and criminal activities can be a difficult one to understand. Is it drugs and alcohol that leads to crime or is it crime that leads to drug and alcohol abuse? Is it possible for someone who is not on drugs to decide to assault someone? Will someone who is not abusing alcohol engage in domestic violence?

Statistics show us that most people who use drugs and alcohol do not become addicts, they usually grow out of this phase and move on with their lives. But, there are cases where individuals who use too much will commit crimes, and it is true that these two factors are linked.

So, why is there such a strong connection between serious drug and alcohol use and criminal activities? It might be because the user has a decreased perception of social support and decreased social network. Other things that influence someone to turn to substance abuse and crime are poor living conditions, mental health, family and unemployment.

Alcohol and Crime

Alcohol is illegal to consume if you are the right age, but it causes so many violent crimes! A recent study showed that 1 in 5 people arrested by the police will test positive for alcohol. Alcohol is a factor in:

-- 60% of homicides
-- 75 % of stabbings
-- 70 % of beatings
-- 50 % of fights and domestic assaults

Drugs and Crime

Taking illegal drugs is a crime in almost all of the countries around the world, and it is almost always related to criminal activities.

However, a research shows that most drug users do not usually go on to commit crimes such as assault or robbery. Basically, this is saying that drug use is not necessarily linked to crime, even with people who have developed a serious addiction.

But, there is some link between those who do commit crimes and drug use. Assault, rape and violent acts are often linked to someone who is a heavy drug user, a lot of robberies are committed to support drug use!

There is a bit of fuzziness around why some substance abusers commit crimes and others don't. Factors like poverty, personality disorders and having been in prison previously are just some of the factors.

Drug Use and Prostitution

Naturally, drug use is linked to prostitution, especially street prostitutes. Estimates reveal that between 40 and 85 per cent of all prostitutes are drug users. Many prostitutes, men and women, are selling sex to support their drug habits. Prostitutes are often the victims of violent crimes, rapes, assaults and other serious crimes; but, because of their lifestyle and the work they do, they are unreported crimes. 

There’s no question that the relationship between drug use and crime is a causative one; drug abuse and criminal behaviour go hand-in-hand. 

NICRO is committed to turning lives around. If you fear that a loved one is involved in drugs or crime, do not hesitate to contact NICRO today! 

Why the rich shoplift more than the poor

Even though shoplifting is a serious crime and causes businesses to lose billions every year, it is still a crime that is often never reported.

Rachel Shteir, author of the new book The Steal, explains that people often feel less guilty for shoplifting when they see how much celebrities and rich people have.

It is almost like people think it is okay to steal because it seems so unimportant compared to what other people have.

Shteir's book takes a look at the history of shoplifting, from the first major incident in the 1800s to celebrities who steal.

Here's an interesting interview with Shteir...

Why is shoplifting so underreported and understudied compared to other crimes?

Because often the items people shoplift are tiny items, like lipstick or face cream. Most shoplifting is amateur shoplifting, meaning it’s not professional gang shoplifting, which is very hard to prosecute at the federal level. Most of it is done by ordinary people. Stores cannot possibly go after everyone who steals a tube of lipstick — it’s not practical from the stores’ point of view. So it’s a combination of the tininess of the objects and the fact that middle class people do it. People with a lot of money do it. And in the past, it’s been looked at as a women’s’ crime, and we trivialize anything that has to do with women, sadly.

In the book, you cite a study that finds Americans with incomes of $70,000 a year shoplift 30% more than those earning up to $20,000. Why is that?

Entitlement is certainly a factor. Rage is a factor. A lot of people feel that they are the victims in whatever way — whether it’s their life circumstances, or that they’re the victims of a larger economic plot. This creates an idea of avenging yourself on an impersonal entity, like a store. You see what others have and you think, ‘What difference does this make?’

Is there a class divide in prosecuting shoplifting?

It’s really rare for a celebrity shoplifter or a wealthy shoplifter to do any significant time. They really have to be chronic shoplifters. Otherwise, we forgive them. There’s a big discrepancy because we are very unsettled by the fact that people who don’t need to shoplift, do.

How do chronic, professional shoplifters affect the plight of amateur shoplifters?

The retail industry has tried to really separate the way it prosecutes professional gangs from amateur people shoplifting. Sometimes the categories of shoplifting get confusing, and that’s how ordinary people get hurt.

There’s a chapter in the book called “Robin Hoods 2.0.” Is there such a thing as ethical shoplifting?

There’s a pervasive idea that individuals are getting the raw deal, that stores are the true criminals. They’re multinationals, they can afford for people to shoplift, they’re insured — there are many things that people say. In that chapter, I’m just laying out what they say. It’s a very powerful theme in American life — the idea of the individual criminal, the outlaw, the pioneer, the person who’s living by their wits. I think that’s what this taps into.

In general, women mostly steal cosmetics and men steal electronics. What do those items say about the reasons we shoplift?

To me, it’s about people shoplifting to transform themselves, to try and make themselves into some idealized version. We’re trying to fashion ourselves into these stereotypes. So women are shoplifting cosmetics to make themselves beautiful and men are shoplifting tough He-Man type things.

You discuss several remedies for the crime: shame, rehab and psychoanalysis among them. Can shoplifting ever be stopped? And if so, what’s the best method?

As long as there are stores, there will be shoplifting. A lot of the anti-shoplifting devices that stores use have been proven to not work, or shoplifters find a way to get around them. Shame works for teenagers, but with Twitter and everything I don’t know whether shame will continue to have any effect on people. The one thing that works for stores is paying the people who work in them more. 

When people who work in retail are more invested, they tend to be more alert and concerned with the integrity of the business. They’re more active in trying to stop people from stealing.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around in South Africa. Don't let shoplifting take over yours or a loved ones life, contact NICRO today.

Are women more likely to get away with crime than men?

According to studies, men are more likely to commit a crime than women. However when we look at the sentencing times for men and women, some say that women get off easier with shorter sentences.

There is definitely gender prejudice in sentencing and most people are upset why this. Why do women get special treatment compared to men?

If you look at the issue through statistics, you will see how women are treated favourably, while men aren't given any leniency:

-- 63.3% of men who were sentenced in higher courts received a penalty of imprisonment, compared to just 46.7% of women.

-- Women get an average term of imprisonment of 42.4 months, compared to 60.3 months for men.

-- Male drunk drivers receive fines which are 9.7% higher than those received by women for the same offence.

-- Men are 1.73 times more likely to be sent to prison compared to women.

-- Men's prison sentences are, on average, 1.16 months longer than those received by women.

If we look at some factors that impact someone's prison sentence, such as criminal history, their decision to plead guilty and the charges faced, we also see that again male and females are treated very differently:

A male’s criminal history was given more weight compared to that of females – and generally meant that they received a harsher sentence.

When we look at this information, it leads us to see that it is in fact true that the law does show signs of gender prejudice. 

But what motivates women to commit crimes in the first place? Their reasons are far different to a man's reason for committing a crime. 

For instance, a study  found that women are more likely to be incarcerated for property, fraud and drug-related crimes, while men are more likely to be sent to prison for violent crimes such as assault and murder.

The study also found that women who commit crime are more likely to have experienced drug problems, physical and emotional abuse, and economic hardship when compared to their male counterparts. Researchers also identified five risk factors that increased the likelihood of a woman engaging in criminal activity: parental or familial issues, childhood abuse and neglect, mental illness, a lack of social support and association with other drug users.

In particular, a study found that the severity of a woman’s drug use “is more closely related to their criminality than it is for men, particularly for prostitution and property crime activities.”

Without accounting for these important considerations, it is impossible to accurately compare the treatment of men and women in the judicial system.

As stated, women often experience very different issues to men, and any “decrease” in the sentence may simply reflect these experiences. Indeed, if these matters were taken into account and similar cases were compared against one another, there might be very little difference in sentences.

In a society striving for, and largely achieving, sexual equality, no legitimate distinction can or should be drawn between offenders solely on the basis of gender.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around! Contact NICRO today, either to donate or to get help for yourself or a loved one! 

Crimes Women Are More Likely Than Men To Commit

When it comes to certain crimes, some are more common among women than men.

Women  are more like to go to prison because of fraud or robbery, while men are more likely to have committed violent crimes.

Female vs. Male Prisoners

Inmates by type of offense & gender:

Murder

Women – 12%
Men – 14%

Manslaughter

Women – 2%
Men – 4%

Rape / sexual assault

Women – 2%
Men – 13%

Robbery

Women – 9%
Men – 15%

Aggravated or simple assault

Women – 9%
Men – 11%

Burglary

Women – 8%
Men – 10%

Larceny-theft

Women – 9%
Men – 3%

Motor vehicle theft

Women – 1%
Men – 2%

Fraud

Women – 9%
Men – 2%

Drug possession

Women – 8%
Men – 4%

Other

Women – 1%
Men – 2%

Women Behind Bars

Female prisoners broken down by type of offense:

Murder – 11.1%
Aggravated or simple assault – 8.9%
Robbery – 8.7%
Other violent – 3.7%
Manslaughter – 2.5%
Rape / sexual assault – 2.3%
Larceny-theft – 9.1%
Fraud – 8.4%
Burglary – 6.9%
Other property – 3%
Motor vehicle theft – 0.8%
Other drug – 17.9%
Drug possession – 6.7%
Public order – 8.9%
Other – 1.2%

NICRO is committed to turning lives around and creating a better South Africa - contact NICRO today, or take a look at www.nicro.org.za for a selection of services.

How can the youth protect themselves from crime?

Preventing crime means minimizing the opportunities for the bad guys to turn you, your loved ones and even your neighbours into victims. Crime prevention is the act of getting involved in protecting property and teaching the youth and people in general how to look after themselves. You may even want to get involved in activities that can create a stronger community bond and help prevent crime.

A recent study shows that the youth, aged between 12 and 17 years are more likely to be victims of crimes than adults! Did you know that most of the crime occurs in school and on the school grounds or at after-school activities AND most of the crimes committed are theft. Unfortunately, most of these thefts are actually never reported to the authorities or even the teachers at school. 

Some of the most popular items that are stolen are electronic devices like cellphones, iPads, electronic devices, tablets and cameras. 

NICRO recommends the following strategies for protecting your personal property:

-- Don’t bring valuables to school. If you don’t absolutely need something during the school day, leave it at home.

-- Avoid calling attention to your valuables. Using cool apps on your smartphone might amuse your lunch buddies, but it can also mean unwanted attention from nearby people who
you don’t know.

-- Never leave your valuables unattended. Most items are stolen because they are left unattended.

-- Secure your locker at all times. Lockers can be broken into easily, especially if they are not properly closed.

-- Protect valuables that you leave in your car. If you drive to school, never leave valuables in plain view inside your car, even if you keep it locked.

The youth experience crime more frequently than any other age groups, in fact, teens and young adults experience the highest rates.

Young people need to learn how to protect themselves and prevent crime from happening!