A Comparison by Ethnic Group and City of the Criminal Activities of Narcotic Addicts

Abstract

In an effort to update the results of earlier studies concerning the amounts and types of crimes committed by urban, male narcotic addicts, confidential interviews were conducted with addicts attending methadone maintenance clinics in Baltimore and New York. Samples were stratified by ethnic group (black and white in Baltimore; black, white, and Hispanic in New York), and the amounts and types of crimes committed were compared across groups, cities, and narcotic addiction status (actively addicted/not actively addicted) using six different measures all based on the concept of crime-days per year at risk. Consistent with previous findings, addicts were found to engage in a great deal of criminal activity, especially during periods of active addiction to narcotics. Differences in the amounts and types of crimes committed were found among ethnic groups and, to a lesser extent, between cities as well. For the Baltimore sample, comparison of findings with those derived from an earlier (1973-78) data base suggests that the amount of crime committed by addicts has increased in several categories as well as overall. However, minor differences in data collection procedures render this finding suggestive rather than conclusive.