Methamphetamine use and acquisitive crime

Evidence of a relationship

Bibliographic Data

ID23550367
AuthorsSusan Goldsmid, Matthew Willis (0009-0003-1475-9915)
Year2016
Publication date2016-10-19
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
PublisherAustralian Institute of Criminology (PUBLISHER • AU)
DOI10.52922/ti149987
OpenAlexW2528025352
LanguageEN
Citations received2

Methamphetamine use among Australian police detainees is rising; the impact of this rise on crime trends, and particularly on trends in acquisitive crime, is yet to be established. Identifying trends in and motivations for offending among methamphetamine users may assist law enforcement and policymakers to better target resources. This paper examines the engagement in acquisitive crime, and perceived motivations for methamphetamine-driven crime, of a sample of Australian police detainees recruited in 2013 through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program. Methamphetamine users reported deriving a significantly higher proportion of their income from crime than non-users. Logistic regression analysis reveals the use of methamphetamine, heroin and/or cannabis predicts engagement in acquisitive crime when other drug use and polydrug use is controlled for. In addition, methamphetamine users reported their use played a contributing role in their offending, most commonly through intoxication or the need for money to purchase drugs. The findings indicate recent methamphetamine use increases the risk of engagement in acquisitive offences.

Cannabis · Criminology · Drug · Heroin · Law enforcement · Logistic regression · Methamphetamine · Political science · Psychiatry · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Law · Medicine · Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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