If you’ve ever wondered whether there is a correlation between drug use and crime rates, the answer is yes—but it may not be as simple as you think. While it’s true that over half of the millions of people actively incarcerated or under supervision in the United States were convicted for using drugs (with many serving time for more than just drug-based crimes), illicit drug use is not an indication that a person is guaranteed to commit a crime in the future. Correlation is not causation.

This is especially important to note in the case of marijuana users, who historically have been the highest convicted drug users (and the most prevalent illegal users across the nation) but are known to have some of the lowest rates for committing other crimes when compared to users of other drugs. Even those who have developed addictions to certain harder drugs or are frequent users aren’t inherently prone to commit criminal activity. That said, those who are regular users of harder drugs or who have been forced into certain tough situations can be more at risk to commit crime than others.

What Is the Relationship Between Drug Use and Crime?

There are many ways in which drugs influence crime rates, but the most impactful are the character changes and social changes that the person goes through.

Motivational Change

One of the first and foremost problems caused by drugs is a motivational change. Addicts and drug users aren’t necessarily less motivated. In fact, it’s just the opposite—they are typically extremely motivated individuals. However, they are motivated for the wrong reasons. Someone who uses drugs will likely think about that drug, how to get it, and may or may not consider the risks involved.

This extreme motivation towards drugs then consumes them, resulting in what many people know as addiction. But even the smallest semblance of drug use can cause a reaction that inhibits your desire to do anything but consume more of that drug. It could be the relief of stress or lack of inhibitions while on it that causes it that people crave. No matter the reason, they’re willing to pay whatever price it takes to escape from reality.

For those without significant resources to support themselves, crime is often the easiest option to turn to when hoping to find some relief. As a result, people experiencing drug dependency can go to extreme lengths to procure more of the drug, and frequently, the coping mechanism becomes a crutch and drugs begin to seem necessary for survival. This shift in mindset and motivation (or lack thereof) then starts to affect the person’s work, love life, finances—everything that was once stable.

Influx of Hormones

Another prevalent issue with drug use, aside from the change in motivation, is the difficulty in functioning without the drugs. Dopamine, adrenaline, and other hormones are greatly impacted in someone who has taken drugs of any sort. Suddenly stopping use can eventually manifest in severe depression or anxiety, which can continue to spiral out without rehabilitative support. A successful detoxification can be the start of a healthy sober life, but it is also a physically, mentally, and emotionally intense and taxing process.

An unsuccessful detoxification/rehabilitation can, of course, lead to a few worst case scenarios: medical distress, hospitalization, or relapse. In the case of relapse, many will turn to crime to fulfill their needs. Violent crimes are common among hard drug users for this reason. They are stressed and pressured to function appropriately, while their hormones sway between polar extremes, resulting in violent outbreaks. Depending on the drug, even new or beginner users can easily experience mood swings, violent tendencies, and other extreme emotions when taking them.

Social Changes

Social dynamics change for the drug user, too. Oftentimes, we use drugs as a coping mechanism for social situations. Doing this, however, will ultimately result in no improvement and can come back to seriously degrade a person’s ability to function in social settings, such as work, home, or public venues. It could be that they think they can’t function socially without having drugs to support them.

Removal of Conscious

A one-time use of drugs can lead to criminal activity, through removing the limiter we have naturally. We mentioned how the impacts of drug use can change motivation, but the use itself can lead to a change in mindset. People are all subjected to thoughts that break the laws, even when we are sober. Thinking things such as, “what if I did this?” aren’t uncommon. These are called intrusive thoughts, and everyone experiences them to some level in their lifetime. However, those who use drugs will be more tempted to act on these thoughts. They have, effectively, lost their conscious limiter and disregard their consequences. People who experience these kinds of thoughts more often or actively act on them might be more likely to break the law when they use drugs.

Who’s at an Increased Risk?

While it is true that the vast majority of drug users of marijuana and hard drugs won’t be convicted of a drug induced crime, there are still people at more risk than others.

People who are more at risk include those who have:

  • an unstable household income.
  • difficulties with work.
  • poor relationships.
  • metal health conditions.

Generally, people who are already in a difficult place in life and then start to use drugs as a means of escape are more likely to commit a crime and be convicted for it. This is because they become unable to support their addiction financially, so they turn towards crime.

However, the use of drugs doesn’t necessitate the need for criminal activity. There are plenty of crime-free drug users who exist, and it is often believed that drugs themselves aren’t the cause of crimes but, instead, the situation surrounding the person at the time they took the drugs.

Trafficking Generates Violence

The crime committed or being committed is often a determining factor in what the person will do to protect themselves. Drug trafficking, on a larger scale, has been shown to induce harsher violent tendencies than someone who simply uses drugs.

Trafficking violence is induced by:

  • drug competition.
  • disputes or rip-offs.
  • traffickers who have violent personalities.
  • the exploitation of low socio-economic areas.

When looking at trafficking or drug crimes in general, these aspects play a major role in violent crimes. Drug traffickers, on small and large scales alike, deal with a lot of competition, and the customers themselves are often not exceedingly trustworthy.

An Expert Attorney Is Your Best Defense

Whenever you are involved in a drug crime, contacting an attorney should be your first call. They are the best and only defense that you have against drug crime charges. Kathleen Alvarado is a professional criminal defense attorney who has been helping people defend their cases for years. Her practice takes her through both state and federal courts, giving you the convenience of one contact to work with on your case. Contact the law office of Kathleen Alvarado to receive expert guidance and defense in your criminal case today.