Crack users in the Netherlands are an ageing and diverse
population with longstanding criminal careers. Our aim was to assess factors
associated with current criminal involvement and specialization in selling
drugs, property crime and violence.
A sample of 1,039 frequent crack users was recruited in
three major Dutch cities, combining respondent-driven sampling with random
institutional sampling. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were
performed to find factors associated with current criminality.
A total of 431 participants (41.5%) had engaged in crime in
the past 30 days, mostly selling drugs (68.9%), followed by property crimes
(34.4%) and a few cases of violent crime (9.7%). Younger age, homelessness,
heavier patterns of use and a more prolific criminal justice history were
associated with current criminality. Those receiving welfare benefits tended to
be more likely to specialize only in selling drugs as opposed to (also)
property crimes.
Reducing drug use among criminally involved crack users and
addressing their housing conditions could have a significant impact on reducing
drug-related crime. Welfare benefits might act as protective factor against
committing property crimes but not against the selling of drugs.
By:
- 1Bonger Institute of Criminology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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