Is there a link between drugs and crime?

Abstract

Recent drug policy in the UK has been shaped by the general presumption that drug addiction is a key contributory factor to rising crime. The literature review demonstrates that whilst empirical evidence clearly supports a link between drugs and crime, the use of drugs is one part of a complex process contributing to criminal behaviour. Furthermore, this analysis demonstrates that the underlying weakness in asserting that drugs cause crime under the economic cause and effect model ignores the root question of causality. This impacts effective policy measures to combat drugs in crime, which is further evidenced by the DTTO measures. It is submitted in this paper that further research is needed to develop and explore concepts of causality in order to truly understand the nature of the link between drugs and crime.