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U.S.
Department of Justice · Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics |
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U.S.
Department of Justice · Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics |
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Drugs and Crime FactsDrug use and crimeAt the time of the offense | Drug use at arrest | Prior drug use by offenders
At the time of the offenseDrug-related crimeOf convicted property
and drug offenders, about 1 in 4 had committed their crimes to get money
for drugs. A higher percentage of drug offenders in 1996 (24%) than in
1989 (14%) were in jail for a crime committed to raise money for drugs.
In 1997, 19% of State prisoners and 16% of Federal inmates said they committed their current offense to obtain money for drugs. These percentages represent a slight increase from 1991, when 17% of State and 10% of Federal prisoners identified drug money as a motive for their current offense.
The Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that in 2002, 4.7% of the 14,054 homicides in which circumstances were known were narcotics related. Murders that occurred specifically during a narcotics felony, such as drug trafficking or manufacturing, are considered drug related.
Offenders under the influence at the time of the offenseVictim's perceptionAccording to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), in 2002, there were 5.3 million violent victimizations of residents age 12 or older. Victims of violence were asked to describe whether they perceived the offender to have been drinking or using drugs.
Overall 41% of violent crimes committed against college students and 38% of nonstudents were committed by an offender perceived to be using drugs, 1995-2000. About 2 in 5 of all rape/sexual assaults and about a quarter of all robberies against a college student were committed by an offender perceived to be using drugs.
Victims
of workplace violence
Victims of workplace violence varied in their perception of whether the offender used alcohol or drugs by occupation.
Alcohol and drug use was a factor in more than half of violent crimes against American Indians. Substantial differences can be found by race in the reports of victims of violence of their perceptions of drug and alcohol use by offenders. Among those who could describe alcohol or drug use by offenders, American Indian victims of violence were the most likely to report such perceived use by the offender. Overall, in 55% of American Indian violent victimizations, the victim said the offender was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both. The offender's use of alcohol and/or drugs was somewhat less likely in violent crimes committed against whites (44%) or blacks (35%).
Perspectives of probationers, prisoners, and jail inmatesProbationersThe first national survey of adults on probation, conducted in 1995, reported that 14% of probationers were on drugs when they committed their offense.
Among probationers, 49% of the mentally ill and 46% of others reported alcohol or drug use at the time of the offense.
PrisonersIn the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 33% of State prisoners and 22% of Federal prisoners said they had committed their current offense while under the influence of drugs. Drug offenders (42%) and property offenders (37%) reported the highest incidence of drug use at the time of the offense.
About 60% of mentally ill and 51% of other inmates in State prison were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of their current offense.
Abused State inmates were more likely than those reporting no abuse to have been using illegal drugs at the time of their offense. This pattern occurred especially among female inmates. Forty-six percent of the abused women committed their current offense under the influence of illegal drugs. Among women who were not abused, 32% committed their offense while on drugs.
According to the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, veterans in State prisons (26%) were less likely than nonveterans (34%) to have been under the influence of drugs while committing their offense. In Federal prisons, about the same percentages of veterans (21%) and nonveterans (34%) reported drug use at the time of their offense.
A third of the parents
in State prison reported committing their current offense while under
the influence of drugs. Parents were most likely to report the influence
of cocaine-based drugs (16%) and marijuana (15%) while committing their
crime. About equal percentages of parents in State prison reported the
use of opiates (6%) and stimulates (5%) at the time of their offense,
while 2% used depressants or hallucinogens.
Jail inmatesIn 1996, those jail inmates convicted of drug trafficking (60%), drug possession (57%), fraud (45%), or robbery (44%) were most likely to have reported to be using drugs at the time of the offense.
According to the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, 1996, more than half of prison of the jail inmates with an intimate victim had been drinking or using drugs when they committed the violent crime.
Sixty-five percent of mentally ill jail inmates and 57% of other jail inmates were under the influence of both alcohol and drug use at the time of the offense. These percentages were the highest compared to State inmates and probationers.
Based on data from the 1996 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, 29% of veterans and 32% of nonveterans in local jails were under the influence of drugs at the time of offense.
Drug use at arrestThe Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program collects data from adult arrestees in 38 sites across the country. In most sites, a half or more of the adult arrestees tested positive for at least one drug. In 2000 the ADAM program reported that adult male arrestees tested positive for at least one drug almost as often as adult female arrestees. In 35 of the 38 ADAM sites, 64% of male arrestees tested positive; compared to 63% of female arrestees in 29 of the sites. Marijuana In 2000 men were generally more likely than women to test positive for marijuana. For adult arrestees testing positive for marijuana use ranged from --
A comparison between 1999 and 2000 results indicated that marijuana-positive percentages relatively remained the same in most of the sites. Cocaine In 2000 women were more likely than men to test positive for cocaine. For adult arrestees testing positive for cocaine use ranged from --
A comparison between 1999 and 2000 results indicated that cocaine-positive percentages increased in most of the sites. Methamphetamine In 2000 methamphetamine use was more likely in the Western region, and more prevalent for women than men. For adult arrestees testing positive for methamphetamine use ranged from --
In comparison between 1999 and 2000 results indicated that methamphetamine-positive percentages increased some in most of the sites. Juvenile detainees Data were collected from more than 2,000 juvenile male arrestees in 9 sites, and more than 400 juvenile female arrestees in 8 sites. In most sites, half or more of juvenile arrestees tested positive for at least one drug. Juvenile arrestees interviewed by ADAM ranged from ages 12 to 18. In 2000, the largest proportion was between ages 15 and 17. Among those who tested positive for use of any drug, the largest group was age 17. In half the sites, 70% of more of the juvenile detainees said they were still in school, with the range 55% in Phoenix to 93% in San Antonio.
Prior drug use by offendersProbationers | Jail inmates | State and Federal prison inmates ProbationersIn 1995 the first national survey of adults on probation reported --
In 1995 adults age 44 years old or younger on probation (87% of all probationers) reported similar levels of prior drug abuse, and their incidence of drug use was consistently higher than that of older probationers. Over 70% of probationers under age 45 reported some prior drug use, compared to 37% of those age 45 or older. Thirty-five percent of probationers under age 45 -- but 9% of older probationers -- reported drug use in the month before their offense.
Two-thirds of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) offenders on probation reported using drugs in the past. Among DWI probationers, marijuana (65%) and stimulants (29%) were the most commonly used drugs. Seventeen percent of those on probation reported drug use in the month prior to arrest.
Among DWI offenders, the most commonly reported experience associated with drug use was domestic disputes:
Nearly 40% of mentally ill probationers and 30% of other probationers reported using drugs in the month before their offense. Source: BJS, Mental Health and Treatment and Inmates and Probationers, NCJ 174463, July 1999. Jail inmatesOf those inmates held in local jails, only convicted offenders were asked if they had used drugs in the time leading up to their current offense. In 1996, 55% of convicted jail inmates reported they had used illegal drugs during the month before their offense, up from 44% in 1989. Use of marijuana in the month before the offense increased from 28% to 37% and of stimulants from 5% to 10%. Reported cocaine or crack use was stable at about 24%. Half of inmates in both 1989 and 1996 reported trying cocaine. Overall, 82% of all jail inmates in 1996 said they had ever used an illegal drug, up from 78% in 1989. A higher percentage of jail inmates in 1996 than in 1989 reported ever using for every other type of drug:
Over three-quarters of DWI offenders in jail reported using drugs in the past. Among jail inmates held for DWI, marijuana (73%) and cocaine-based drugs including crack (41%) were the most commonly used drugs. Thirty percent of those in jail reported drug use in the month prior to arrest. Domestic disputes were also one of the most commonly reported experiences associated with drug use:
Fifty-eight percent of mentally ill jail inmates and 47% of other jail inmates were using drugs in the month before the offense. Source: BJS, Mental Health and Treatment and Inmates and Probationers, NCJ 174463, July 1999. In local jails, veterans (81%) reported levels of prior drug use similar to nonveterans (83%), but lower levels (44%) of drug use in the month prior to the offense than nonveterans (50%) in 1997.
State and Federal prison inmatesIn the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, over 570,000 of the Nation's prisoners (51%) reported the use of alcohol or drugs while committing their offense. In 1991, 60% of Federal prisoners reported prior drug use, compared to 79% of State prisoners. In 1997 this gap in prior drug use was narrowed, as the percentage of Federal inmates reporting past drug use rose to 73%, compared to 83% of State inmates. This increase was mostly due to a rise in the percentage of Federal prisoners reporting prior use of marijuana (from 53% in 1991 to 65% in 1997) and cocaine-based drugs (from 37% in 1991 to 45% in 1997). Most other drug types showed modest increases over this period. A fifth of Federal prisoners had used stimulants and hallucinogens, followed by depressants and opiates, including heroin (both 16%). About 1 in 12 Federal prisoners reported the prior use of inhalants. Although the proportion of Federal prisoners held for drug offenses rose from 58% in 1991 to 63% in 1997, the percentage of all Federal inmates who reported using drugs in the month before the offense rose more dramatically from 32% to 45%. The proportion of State prison inmates reporting the past use of cocaine or crack remained stable between 1991 and 1997 --
Nineteen percent
of State inmates told interviewers that they had been physically or sexually
abused before their current offense. For State prisoners reporting prior
abuse, 89% had ever used illegal drugs: 76% of the men and 80% of the
women had used them regularly. Of those not reporting prior abuse, 82%
had used illegal drugs: 68% of the men and 65% of the women had used them
regularly.
About 60% of mentally ill State prisoners and 56% of other inmates were using drugs in the month before their offense.
In 1997 a majority of parents in State prison reported some type of prior drug use --
Nonparents in State prison reported slightly lower levels of prior drug use --
In 1997 mothers in State prison were more likely than fathers to report drug use in the month before their offense: 65% for mothers and 58% for fathers. Cocaine/crack was the most common drug used: 45% for mothers and 26% for fathers. Nearly half of parents in Federal prison reported using drugs in the month before their offense and 3 in 4 had ever used drugs. Nearly a quarter of parents in Federal prison were under the influence of drugs when committing their offense. Aside from marijuana use (higher among fathers), mothers and fathers in Federal prison reported similar drug use histories. Source: BJS, Incarcerated Parents and Their Children, NCJ 182335, August 2000. 79% of veterans in State prison reported prior drug use during their military service.
Vietnam-era veterans varied little from other veterans in State prison concerning prior drug abuse --
Source: BJS, Veterans in Prison or Jail, NCJ 178888, January 2000. |
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