Concentra of Delinquent Offending: Serious Drug Involvement and High Delinquency Rates

Abstract

This paper reports annual rates of delinquency and drug use while controlling for the type of offenders/drug users. Secondary analysis was conducted from the National Youth Survey, when the subjects were ages 14–20. Youths were classified into drug user and delinquent typologies representing more serious involvements. Annual rates of delinquent offending increased directly with more serious drug involvements, even when controlling for delinquent type. Less than 2% of all youths self-reported two or more index offenses and used cocaine/heroin. These youths had such high delinquency rates that they accounted for 40–60% of various felony crimes (robbery, felony theft, drug sales) and a disproportionate share of all marijuana and other drugs used. Yet less than a quarter reported that their recent non-drug crimes were primarily motivated to obtain money for drugs. Even in a national probability sample, delinquency is highly concentrated among a very small proportion of substance-using delinquents.