Links between drug misuse and crime

The paper argues that there may be benefits from combining the efforts of criminologists and drug researchers in the study of the nature of the relationship between drug/alcohol use and crime. The available evidence suggests that the relationship is probably not a simple one. In particular, the research shows that social, cultural, and environmental factors may all play some part in explaining the relationship. It is suggested that something might be gained by focusing on the various situational factors which link drug/alcohol use and crime. Some help might be forthcoming for this endeavour from criminology which has in recent years developed a body of knowledge on the role of situational determinants of crime. Research from within this perspective has been helpful in informing strategies for intervention over a wide range of crimes and crime settings. In particular, attention is drawn to the wealth of crime prevention ideas that has arisen out of situational analyses of alcohol-related public disorder. It is proposed that further research is conducted which draws on this approach in an attempt to increase our understanding of the micro social processes involved.