By Dr. Dalal Akoury Dr. Dalal Akoury August 19, 2015

The association between crime and drug addiction: What effects does drugs has on criminal activities?

The association between crime and drug addiction is very tricky in some ways owing to the different kinds of legal systems in different states. This is because some of the substances that are considered illegal in some states are actually legalized in other states and are being used freely. Because of such challenges, the relationship between crime and drug addiction can be very complex and provocative in equal measure. There is a debate going on about whether substance abusers and addiction should be considered as criminals and criminal acts or not. In most states the law is very clear that law offenders must face the full force of the law in a court of law while on the other hand an scientifically an addiction is a health condition which is treatable and addicts are patients who need treatment and care and not prison walls. This is the born of contention and drawing the line between the two is very challenging. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about this and she is going to be very instrumental to us in unlocking the stalemate as we progress into the discussion.

Meanwhile when we talk about crime in isolation, we can categorically state that criminals must all be brought to book to account for their mistakes. Crime has never been good and is not about to become good. Therefore doctor Akoury says that while it is true that many addicts engage in criminal activities to finance their habit but there also some many people who are specifically addicted to the criminal act itself, they may be using drugs too, but there’s is pure criminality. These are the real criminals who need to face the full force of the law because it is a choice they have made. Besides that we also have some people who wouldn’t ordinarily commit crime but have only turned to it out of an act of desperation, such people may be harmless and should be put through treatment and counseling programs to be rehabilitated and be given an opportunity to live their lives normally under very close supervision for the first few months of the rehabilitation. And like we said this topic can be very challenging and what we have shared are just opinions about the debate that is likely not to end anytime soon.

The association between crime and drug addiction: Addiction and Crime do we Punish or treat?

The a million dollar question is “do we punish people who commit crime to fund their addiction by locking them up in the prisons or do we help them by sending them into rehabilitation centers for treatment?” Like we have already mentioned this is a subject of debate and people will debate on it differently in their own ways. Like for instance many people will argue that offering treatment and help to drug addicts is improper because drug addicts are criminals especially those addicts who uses criminal acts to finance their habits. Such opinion can be justified owing to the pain such offenders inflict on their victims. It may not be very easy for a victim of such offenders to buy the idea of treatment and support. However if treatment and support will help in eliminating the scourge of addiction and bring these addicts to sobriety, there will be higher chances of prevention of re-offence to the society in general. This therefore means that if we can succeed in rehabilitating these addicts, then we will have a peaceful neighborhood to live in.

On the other hand the grieving society having been there directly and indirectly, may feel that people who have committed criminal offences be made to pay for their crime irrespective of whether they were under the influence of drugs at the time of crime or not. According to the medical experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, medically those individuals who have committed crime irrespective of the reasons whether it was influenced by drugs or they just wanted to finance their bad habits, such people are likely to benefit and be transformed completely from their addiction by the administration of treatment and being attached to a support group better than being subjected to the wrath of the law in the prisons. Doctor Akoury states that while it is believed that by confining these people in the prison, they will not be able to access the luxuries of drugs in the prison bars. This has not always been the case thanks to drug smuggling that takes place in the prison cells with the help of some few corrupt prison officers. With this reality of drug smuggling in prisons, offenders will continue abusing their drugs and the consequences of this can be very dangerous not just to the society when their sentence time lapses but also to the fellow inmates. The magnitude of not treating the problem can lead to re-offence once the victims have served their full prison time and the vicious circle continues.

Looking at the merits and demerits of prison confinement and offering support and treatment to drug abusers, it is becoming evidently clear that the costs of dealing with addiction can be very costly more so if treatment is not part of the solution and addicts are subjected to punishment and confinement in prisons. Various studies have established that there is clear evidence to show that addicts are less likely to re-offend if they receive proper treatment and care rather that harsh punishment from the prison cells. It is therefore highly recommended that while punishment is an option, it is not always the best and therefore seeking for professional services from addiction experts is very ideal in dealing with matters of this magnitude. In view of this development I want to advice you and anybody reading this article today that we can all be safe from the scourge of addiction by seeking for help in good time. If you are wondering how to go about this, I want to give you the much needed help that will not only help you get well, but will also transform your life completely. You can call doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is renowned addiction expert of more than two decades of practice. Because of her passion in helping people regain their dignity, she founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where she is offering addiction treatment to all who will schedule an appointment with her today for total recovery from all kinds of drug addiction.