Drug Abuse and Criminal Violence in Urban Communities

摘要

This study provides an analysis of the literature in the area of criminal justice, criminology, and the social sciences with a special focus on the causative factors in drug abuse and violence; and a case history of a city which is familiar with these problems. The following conclusions are reached from this study: Researchers are reluctant to say that drug abuse causes crime; Violence is an integral part of the drug subculture; Drug addicts/users commit a large number of violent crimes against family members, friends, and society in order to support their habits; Drug abuse contributes significantly to the amount of violent crime found in urban communities; Drug trafficking is a multimillion dollar business that is by far the major cause of violence in urban areas; Drug abuse is impossible to eradicate because of its high demand, although it can and must be controlled; The root of the problem, what causes people to turn to drugs, must be better understood before appropriate policies can be made to alleviate the problem of drug abuse and violence; Finally, efforts to minimize drug-related crime will require reducing the demand for drugs as well as curtailing illegal supplies of drugs. (Theses).