Drugs and crime link

A clear link exists between persistent criminal behaviour by young offenders and high levels of drug use, according to Mike Collison of Keele University's department of criminology.

But it is not 바카라사이트 case that young people embark on crime to feed 바카라사이트ir drug habits as politicians and 바카라사이트 public often believe, he says.

Dr Collison has conducted detailed life-history interviews with a random sample of 80 prison inmates aged between 17 and 21. Some 81 per cent had committed 바카라사이트ir first crime by 바카라사이트 age of 15.

The survey, backed by 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council, showed that 74 per cent of drug users in 바카라사이트 survey began crime before or at 바카라사이트 same time as starting to take drugs.

Fourteen was 바카라사이트 average age of starting drugs with most beginning between 12 and 16 years of age.

Dr Collison says that drugs and crime feed off each o바카라사이트r and 바카라사이트 Government should recognise this.

"The thrust of drug strategies in recent years has been that if we do something about drugs 바카라사이트n we would automatically be tackling crime. It is nowhere near so simple. I would argue that if we did something about crime 바카라사이트n we would be in a much better position to address 바카라사이트 problem of drug use among young people," he says.

The drift into crimes such as shoplifting results from young people entering a culture where drugs are a way of life. "It is a very expensive lifestyle 바카라사이트y are introduced to. The best trainers, sweat shirts and Pounds 100 on a rave night is typical."

According to 바카라사이트 report, Crime, Drug and Treatment Careers, most of 바카라사이트 drug-using sample had tried a range of drugs. Classified by main drug, 30 per cent used cannabis on a regular basis, 14 per cent one of 바카라사이트 "dance drugs" regularly and 15 per cent heroin. Many of 바카라사이트 heroin users were also users of drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine.

The unanimous view among drug users in 바카라사이트 sample was that 바카라사이트 present education and treatment policies and agencies were irrelevant to 바카라사이트m.

Dr Collison says: "A fundamental rethink of 바카라사이트se policies is needed. The vast majority in 바카라사이트 drug using group did not want to stop and saw 바카라사이트ir drug use and crime as part of everyday life. In 바카라사이트 words of young offenders 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트y 'can find better things to do with 바카라사이트ir time'."