Pubdate: Fri, 30 Aug 2002
Source: Huddersfield Daily Examiner, The (UK)
Copyright: Trinity Mirror Plc 2002
Contact:  http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2278

DRUG USERS ARE THE BIGGEST THIEVES

HEROIN and crack cocaine users are responsible for 80% of property crime, 
Government research has revealed.

The Home Office research also found that offenders who tested positive for 
drugs were responsible for three times the number of criminal offences as 
those who tested negative.

Home Office minister Bob Ains-worth said the research "shed some light on 
links between drugs and acquisitive crime".

The research found that the mean average of property crimes committed by 
those using heroin and crack cocaine was about 200 in the past 12 months 
compared with 52 for those using neither heroin nor crack cocaine.

"More than 40% of arrestees thought that their drug use and crime were 
connected, and when asked about this connection, more than two-thirds said 
that this was due to the need for money to buy drugs," Mr Ainsworth said.

"Those who tested positive for three or more drugs reported on average 
three times the number of offences and eight times the illegal income as 
those who did not test positive." 
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom