What have researchers found?

Drug Use Contributes to Higher Crime Rates. Drug use is more closely linked to robbery and property crime than to violent crime.  Many addicts commit crimes to get money to buy drugs. In state prisons, those convicted of violent crimes are less likely to have used drugs than those convicted of property crimes. Yet at least a quarter of men who commit acts of domestic violence also have drug abuse problems.  Women who are drug addicts are more likely to be victims of abuse. 

Compulsory Treatment Can Work. Attempts to deter drug use through punishment fail because they do not address the complex causes of drug abuse, which begins within the context of family problems and peer deviant behavior. Therapeutic, structured programs can reduce recidivism, whether in prisons, through community corrections or drug court supervision, or when people reenter the community following imprisonment. One characteristic necessary for successful programs is continuing, comprehensive aftercare in the community.  This reduces the chances that someone will be arrested and convicted again.