Reduce Crime, Law Enforcement & Corrections Costs

Return to Opioid Top-Level Strategy Map

Background

Many studies have shown a link between drug use and crime and that drug users participate in riskier behavior.
 
 

• Heroin addicts participate in a higher proportion of criminal activity outside of the crimes specific to drug possession than other drug users. Generally the more an addict uses the more crime they commit.
• Two-thirds of abusers are shown as being actively involved in crimes.

These drug-related crimes take an economic toll on the criminal justice system. A recent article from the American Academy of Pain Medicine reports that opioid misuse cost the criminal justice system $5.1 billion.
 

Law Enforcement Accidental Overdoses

With the distribution of fentanyl, a powerful opioid that can be lethal in small amounts, law enforcement officers are now at risk of overdose. Fentanyl overdoses can occur by:
 

• Inhalation
• Absorbed through the skin

This rise of fentanyl cases will be very costly to law enforcement.

Types of Crimes

Different types of drug related criminal offenses
 

• Alcohol and substance-defined – This means that the person violates the law regarding or providing the manufacture, distribution, use, or possession of alcohol and illicit substances. Examples may include providing alcohol to minors, production, sales, or distribution of illegal drugs, or illegal drug possession.
• Alcohol and drug-related – These include violations of the law because someone is trying to get money to pay for drugs or alcohol or breaking the law because they are under the influence. Examples here may include violence against friends and family, stealing in order to nurse a habit, vandalism, fights, or a DWI charge.
• Lifestyle – Law violations directly related to living a lifestyle where the person may not have a source of income or job and is repeatedly exposed to individuals and situations that promote crime. Examples include relationships developed through the use of illicit substances, meaning the user has more chances to violate the law and learn illegal skills from other offenders.

 

Crime Prevention Approaches

The International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) identifies three types of preventive approaches for drug-related crime prevention :
 

1. Prevention of Illegal Drug Use
   • Mass media campaigns have been used around the world in an attempt to prevent drug use. However, these campaigns have been shown to be ineffective in reducing drug use.
   • School-based drug prevention programs are common, but success of these is mixed. For more details see Train Youth in How to Resist Peer Pressure to Try Drugs.
   • Family-centered approaches can be effective in preventing drug use.
     • Training entire families, parents and children, together has been shown to be effective in reducing cannabis use among young people.
     • Early intervention to provide support to low-income families with high risk factors before and after the birth of children is useful in preventing drug use in adolescents 15 years later.
        
     • Cognitive Behavioral therapy has shown the highest success rates and remains effective long-term.
     •  

2. Harm Reduction (prevention of drug-related risk behaviors)

• The dispensing of methadone, heroin, and cocaine under government medical supervision has been implemented across Europe and is associated with reductions in crime rates.
• Drug consumption rooms[need evidence of efficacy]

3. Prevention of Recidivism

• • Drug abuse treatment has been shown to be an effective crime-reduction tool. Greater participation in treatment may be achieved through Drug Treatment Courts.
  • Dissuasion commissions are a new approach currently being used in Portugal. These consist of non-judicial panels of social workers and psychologists. A person who is charged with possession of a small amount of drugs may be brought before this commission instead of a criminal court. This frees up the court system and reduces costs.
  • Post-treatment Reintegration programs are key in reducing recidivism as they help participants find housing and employment.

 

Current Crime Reduction Efforts in the U.S.

• Strategy:
  • National Drug Control Strategy run by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) - this approach focuses on evidence-based practices in "prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery support, criminal justice reform, effective law enforcement, and international cooperation".
• Programs:
  • Above the Influence national awareness campaign
  • Early intervention programs that use Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) (for more information, see Expand SBIRT Programs page)
  • Treatment Programs in various settings including jails, recovery schools, and recovery support centers.
    • example: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's (SAMHSA) Access to Recovery Programs provide step-by-step training in implementing substance abuse treatment disorders. Menu and Toolkit can be found in the Toolkits and Resource section below.
• Outcomes: The U.S. met goal to increase the number of treatment plans completed by individuals referred by the Criminal Justice System by 2.6% and was on track to meet its goal to increase the number of juvenile justice facilities that offer substance abuse treatment by 5% by the end of the year.

 

Current Crime Reduction Efforts in Other Countries

1. Canada
   • Strategy:
     • National Anti-Drug Strategy- launched in 2007, carreid out by 12 federal departments and agencies in Canada.
   • Programs:
     • Substance Abuse Addiction Programs (formerly the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund) - provides $26.3 million in funding to support evidence-based and innovative initiatives for substance use prevention and treatment.
     • National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS)
     • Drug Treatment Court Funding Program(DTCFP) - funds the development, delivery and evaluation of drug treatment courts in Canada.
   • Outcomes:
     • Drug Treatment Court Funding Program has contributed to reduced drug use behavior and criminal recidivism.
     • According to ICPC 2015 Report, "changes in attitudes as a result of NCPS and DSCIF programs will only become apparent over the long term."
2. Australia
   • Strategy:
     • National Drug Strategy Framework- provides direction for government and non-government agencies in developing strategies to reduce drug abuse. Australia reviews and refines this framework every 5 years. The 2010-2015 strategy report can be found below:

[File:http://www.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png NDSF_AU.pdf]

NDSF_AU.pdf

• Details
• Download
• 173 KB

 

• • Programs:
    • Police Drug Diversion- diverts people charged with drug possession to health intervention rather than the criminal justice system.
      • Programs are in place across Australia. For more information on individual programs see the following publication from the Australian Government:

[File:http://www.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png PoliceDrugDiversionAU.pdf]

PoliceDrugDiversionAU.pdf

• Details
• Download
• 2 MB

 

• • • Medically Supervised Injection Centres - provide clean, safe areas for people to inject.
      • example: Sydney
  • Outcomes: Both supervised injection centers and diversion programs have been effective in reducing drug-related crime and recidivism.

3. The Netherlands

• • Legislation
    • Opium Act (1919) - the trafficking, cultivation, manufacturing, dealing and possession of drugs (apart from marijuana in quantities of less than 5 grams) are considered crimes, but drug use itself is not illegal.
  • Strategy
    • Strategy Plan for Social Relief - aims to improve living conditions for the homeless and reducing crime due to their behavior.
    • "Drug Policy Letter" (2011) denotes two pillars of Dutch drug policy: protecting public health and combatting public nuisance and organized crime.
      • Substitution intervention, psychosocial treatment, and rehabilitation treatment are emphasized
  • Programs:
    • "Healthy School and Drugs" program aimed at reducing early drug use in adolescents
    • National telephone hotline that provides neutral, evidence-based information on drugs and referral information
    • Safe and Healthy Nightlife and Events Project - supports communities in the implementation of policies to support communities in education of young people in their parents to increase the safety of nightlife entertainment venues
    • "Safety Houses" - where police, municipalities, youth services, youth probation services, and addiction services come together to combine treatment and drug enforcement to address and prevent drug use by youth.
    • Diversion - the policy encourages "drug addicts having committed minor offenses to take part in treatment programs as an alternative to incarceration. Part of their sentences may also be replaced with community service."
    • Penitentiaries have Addiction Counseling Departments.
    • Program for children of parents with mental illness or addiction problems (KOPP/KVO in Dutch) provides courses, interventions, and online services for parents with mental illness or substance abuse disorders.
  • Outcomes:
    • Dutch approaches to treatment have a greater cost-benefit than incarceration.
    • Studies conducted in the Netherlands have shown a negative relationship between abstinence-based methadone treatments and reductions in crime.

4. Portugal

• • Legislation:
    • Decree Law 30/200 - made the possession and acquisition of drugs an administrative offense
  • Strategy:
    • National Place for the Reduction of Addictive Behaviours and Dependences (PNRCAD) - emphasizes prevention, dissuasion, harm reduction, treatment and reintegration as well as demand reduction and illegal-drug supply reduction.
    • National Mental Health Plan
  • Programs:
    • Operational Plan of Integrated Responses (PORI) - funds non-government organizations (NGOs) mandated with establishing primary and secondary prevention programs.
    • Me and the Others - program that trains teachers and social workers to implement prevention services. Managed by the Directorate General for Intervention on Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (SICAD).
    • Commissions for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction (CDT) - consist of a legal expert appointed by the Ministry of Justice and two individuals appointed by the Ministry of Health. Similar to American Drug Courts, individuals arrested with drugs are brought before this group to discuss intervention instead of being processed by the criminal justice system.
    • SICAD provides social reintegration services for recovering addicts, including internship opportunities and job-seeking advice.
    • Needle Exchanges and Low-threshold substitution programs are in place in high drug-use areas across the nation.
  • Outcomes:
    • The year after the implementation of Decree Law 30/200 the number of illicit-drug related offenses, such as robbery, fraud and assault decreased by 5,000 to 5,500 cases (Hughes & Stevens, 2010).
    • Measures implemented at the time of decriminalization have been associated with a decrease in crime.

5. The United Kingdom

• • Strategy:
    • The UK's 2010 strategy advocates a whole-life approach, from early prevention to addiction treatment (EMCDDA, 2013 as cited in ICPC, 2015). The three components of the plan are 1) reducing demand, 2) restricting supply, and 3) building recovery in communities.
  • Programs:
    • "Talk to FRANK" public awareness campaign - includes a telephone helpline, website on the harmful effects of drugs, and a live chat facility. These outlets take on a neutral, non-judgemental tone to dissuade adolescents from using drugs (EMCDDA, 2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Rise Above online resource for adolescents
    • For drug offenses, treatment is available as an alternative to incarceration (EMCDDA, 2013 and RU1, 26.01.2015 a cited in ICPC, 2015). Youth Court 'liason and diversion schemes' diverting young users away from the criminal justice system are also in place (RU3, 27.04.2015 as cited by ICPC, 2015).
    • Substance Use Treatment is available in prisons (NTA-NHS, 2009 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Drug Interventions Programme - targets substance abuse in "especially problematic and hard-to-reach offenders" (Home Office, 2011 as cited on p. 74 of ICPC, 2015).
  • Outcomes:
    • Family-based interventions have been shown to be effective in the UK (HM Government, 2010 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Treatment, especially medical treatment in prisons, is associated with lower rates of recidivism and crime (NTA-NHS, 2009 as cited by ICPC, 2015).

6. Switzerland

• • Strategy:
    • Switzerland's drug strategy has four pillars: 1) prevention, 2) therapy, 3) harm reduction, 4) law enforcement
  • Programs:
    • Drug addiction prevention is integrated into school curriculum (FOPH, n.d-b. as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Prescription of substitute drugs (S1, 22.042015 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Residential abstinence-focused treatments
    • Judges may order treatment instead of prison if an offender has committed an addiction-related offense.
    • There are 12 drug consumption rooms across Switzerland (S1, 04.22.2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
  • Outcomes:
    • There has been a "demonstrable decline in crime rate" in Switzerland due to therapy interventions and increasing access to substance abuse treatment (S1, 04.22.2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015).
    • Prescription-heroin treatments have been shown reduce drug-related crime in Switzerland. From 1994-1999 percentage of drug addicts receiving prescription heroin treatments who were involved in crime decreased by 40% and number of crimes had decreased by 60% (Aebi, M. F., Ribeaud D., Killias, M., 1999 as cited in ICPC, 2015).

 

Crime Reduction Strategy Recommendations

The International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report (2015) offers the following recommendations for drug-related crime reduction:
 

• "It is important that strategies acknowledge that different types of drugs will cause different types of crime. Therefore, interventions must be adjusted accordingly.
• Considering that treatment significantly helps reduce drug-related crime, strategies should consider facilitating access to treatment for all addicts.
• Considering the strong link between drug-related crime and the dependency of individual, strategies should include alternatives to imprisonment that address the underlying causes of the offense.
• Since research indicates that treatment for heroin addiction has a significant positive impact on the reduction of drug-related crime, strategies should consider including this type of treatment.
• Similarly, supervised injecting rooms can significantly reduce the sense of insecurity and disruption of public order in areas where they are set up."

Tools + Resources

TR - Reduce Crime Due to Opioid Misuse & Law Enforcement Costs

Scorecard Building

Potential Objective Details
Potential Measures and Data Sources
Potential Actions and Partners

Resources to Investigate

More RTI on Opioid Misuse & Law Enforcement Costs


PAGE MANAGER: [insert name here]
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: [fill out table below]

Reviewer	Date	Comments

Sources

---

1. Saadatmand, Toma, & Choquette, 2012; Grogger & Willis, 2000; Gordon et al., 2013.
2. (Gordon et al., 2013; Blom Nilsson et al., 2014; Hucklesby, 2010)
3. [1]
4. Birnbaum HG, White AG, Schiller M., Waldman T, Cleveland JM, and Roland CL. Societal costs of prescription opioid abuse, dependence, and misuse in the United States. Pain Medicine 2011; 12: 657-667.
   [2]
5. [3]
6. [4]
7. [5]
8. [6]
9. [7]
10. [8]
11. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[9]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
12. (UNODC, 2013 and European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2013 in ICPC, 2015) Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[10]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
13. Can mass media campaigns prevent young people from using drugs? [Government]. Retrieved from (5 June 2015): [11]
14. (Dusenbury, 2000 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[12]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
15. (Kumpfer et al., 2003 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[13]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
16. (Aebi, Ribeaud, & Killias, 1999, van den Brink et al., 2003, Nadelmann, 2015 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[14]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
17. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[15]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
18. (UNODC, 2010 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[16]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
19. (Sumnall & Brotherhood, 2012 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[17]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
20. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[18]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
21. (ONDCP, 2014b, p.19 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[19]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
22. (Evaluation Directorate & Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[20]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
23. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[21]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
24. (Fitzgerald, Burgess, & Snowball, 2010, McDonald, 2011, Payne, Kwiatkowski, & Wundersitz, 2008 in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[22]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
25. (Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, 2009 ; PB2, 11.05.2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[23]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
26. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[24]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
27. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[25]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
28. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[26]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
29. (Trimbos Instituut & WODC, 2009 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[27]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
30. (Prendergast, Podus, Chang, & Urada, 2002 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[28]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
31. (Stevens & al., 2005 ; Trimbos-Instituut & WODC, 2009 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[29]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
32. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[30]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
33. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[31]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
34. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[32]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
35. (Domoslawski, 2012, p.29; P1.11.03.2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[33]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
36. (Domoslawski, 2012, p. 34; P2, 03.11.2015 as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[34]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
37. (Domosławski, 2012 ; EMCDDA, n.d. as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[35]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
38. (Hughes & Stevens, 2010)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[36]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
39. (Open Society Foundation as cited in ICPC, 2015)
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[37]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
40. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[38]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
41. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[39]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
42. Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[40]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.
    1. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Prevention of Drug-Related Crime Report. Rep. International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <[41]//Contributions/Civil/ICPC/Rapport_FINAL_ENG_2015.pdf>.