Crimes of dependency or intoxication

Research carried out on behalf of the Home Office shows strong associations between drug use and certain types of crime, especially acquisitive crimes such as burglary of dwellings and shoplifting. Research undertaken with arrestees shows that perhaps a third of acquisitive crime is linked with drug use.

Home Office Research Study 183: Drugs and crime: the results of research on drug testing and interviewing arrestees,
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hors183.pdf

Home Office Research Study 205: Drugs and crime: The results of the second developmental stage of the NEW-ADAM programme, Home Office
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hors205.pdf

Findings 148: Drug use and offending: summary results from the first year of the NEW-ADAM research Programme,
 http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/r148.pdf

There are strong links between problematic drug use and crime. Around three-quarters of crack and heroin users claim to be committing crime to feed their habit. 75% of persistent offenders have misused drugs and arrestees who use heroin and/or cocaine commit almost 10 times as many offences as arrestees who do not use drugs.
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/NationalStrategy/1038840683/Updated_Drug_Strategy_2002.pdf

The 2002/3 British Crime Survey (BCS) indicates a growing perception that people using or dealing in drugs are a significant cause of disorder.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/hosb703.pdf