Crime and expenditure amongst polydrug misusers seeking treatment : the connection between prescribed methadone and crack use, and criminal involvement

The study investigates patterns of criminal activity and drug use in a cohort of 100 new entrants to a drug treatment service in south London. While 78 subjects reported heroin use in the month prior to treatment and 52 reported crack cocaine use, only 56 reported involvement in acquisitive crime in this period. Forms of crime most commonly engaged in were shoplifting, receiving stolen goods and theft. The patterns of criminal involvement varied as a function of the extent and profile of drug activity in the preceding month with crack users reporting the highest levels of drug expenditure and the most crime. There was no clear relationship between current methadone prescribing (or methadone dose) and levels of criminal involvement.