Psychiatrist claims drug-crime-mental health link
An Adelaide psychiatrist says he has established a link between drug use, mental illness and crime.
Dr Craig Raeside has assessed about 2,000 South Australians charged with offences ranging from shoplifting to homicide, over the past four years.
He says of those using heroin, nearly 95 per cent have a mental illness, along with more than 70 per cent of the offenders using amphetamines.
Mr Raeside say drug abuse is one of the main causes of pressure on state mental health services.He believes reducing drug abuse will lead to less crime and mental illness.(25/10/2005, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-10-25/psychiatrist-claims-drug-crime-mental-health-link/2131356?pfm=ms&pfmredir=sm)
This now ‘archived’ research was given little airtime on release, but consistent findings and current evidence from police will confirm this is completely accurate. I have contacts in senior positions in police agencies and it is fascinating to hear their experiences of drugs and crime. Of course, most agree that you ‘can’t arrest your way out of the drug problem’, but it’s not the punishment of ‘crime of possession’ solely, that will lead to a deterrent of use that we are referring to here — no, it is the crime committed because of and/or during drug use that is changed when drug supply and judicial educators are put into play.
One very recent report from a key regional police commander (State deliberately omitted) revealed that, quite literally, when the local ‘Biker run’ Meth/Drug lab and distribution network was busted and all immediate supply removed, the crime rate plummeted and all activity virtually and I’m quoting now, ‘stopped — there was nothing happening at all!’
Yes that’s right, who knew, when people are not taking drugs, they are not affected by the psychotropic toxins. Even ‘withdrawal’ has not the drivers for crime… no point stealing to get resources to try and purchase a drug that is not available!
We saw this with the heroin ‘drought’ in the early 1990’s. After hearing cataclysmic warnings of the skyrocketing of ‘deaths in our streets’ from Dr Penington, if we didn’t open an injecting room, the government decided to move on supply, and this saw an absolute plummeting of Heroin related deaths and the crime that accompanying the ‘easy use’ that is now so thoroughly promoted by the misuse of Harm Reduction drug policy vehicles.
It is time to focus on Demand Reduction and drug use exiting Recovery.
This is better for health and well-being of the hapless drug user — Better for families and communities — Better for economy and welfare system. However, the perpetual push for ongoing empowering, endorsing, equipping and enabling drug use, is what is continuing to dig the ever increasing hole of chronic dysfunction and harm to all those involved in the poisoning of our generation.
Dalgarno Institute