Statistics on Offenders and Drug Type/Use During Criminal Offense

Type of Drug

Drug Used When

Crime Committed
1995

Drug Used When

Crime Committed
1996

Drug Used When Crime

Committed
2002

18%

13.6%

Cocaine or Crack

14%
(category includes
marijuana and hash for
1995 only
10%

14.3%

10.6%

Heroin or Opiates

4%

5.1%

4.1%

5%

9.4%

9.4%

Marijuana

Over the Counter Drugs

(OTC)

Year
2004

2007

Criminal Offense

Statistics

Prisoners in state prisons using drugs

when crime committed

32%

Prisoners in federal prisons using

drugs when crime committed
14,831 drug-related homicides

26%
3.9% were drug related

Drug Use and Crime-Related Facts:

80% of inmates in U.S, prisons, abuse drugs or alcohol

Alcohol is linked more to violent crimes than cocaine, heroin or any other illegal drugs.
Marijuana and cocaine or crack are the most common drugs convicted inmates used at time of offense.

Sources:

US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.