How do alcohol and drugs affect crime?
Few people who study the causes of crime would deny that there is a link between criminality and alcohol or illegal drug use.
Alcohol abuse and crime in Scotland
Alcohol abuse is a big problem in Scotland. Apart from the individual health problems that excess alcohol consumption brings, a great deal of crime, particularly at the weekends, is linked to alcohol abuse.
Many of those found guilty of serious assaults or murder have been under the influence of alcohol (and/or illegal drugs) when committing an offence.
In a study published by Alcohol Focus Scotland in 2021, 41% of prisoners said that they were drunk at the time of their crime. This figure rose to 60% for young offenders.
In the same way, the supply and use of illegal drugs creates a huge crime problem. Whether it is a drug misuser shoplifting to 'feed their habit' or organised criminal gangs involved in the multi-million pound 'drugs trade', illegal drugs are a major cause of crime.
In a report published by the Scottish Government in 2022, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) found in a survey of prisoners that 41% of prisoners admitted that they had a drug problem prior to imprisonment. Also, 45% admitted that they had been under the influence of drugs at the time of their offence. The report also noted that these figures may be an under representation of the true extent of offenders with a drug problem.
