The perception by the public that there is a high association between drug use and violent crime is not reflected in actual rates of violent crime by hard drug users, according to a report out today.
The report, an overview of drugs and crime in Ireland, which is published by the Health Research Board, notes that drug users were responsible for just 28 per cent of detected crime in 2004. This was down from 66 per cent in 1997.
The author of the report, Johnny Connolly, said the increase in employment and greater availability of treatment such as methadone were possible factors in explaining this decrease.
"I'm not saying that there is no violence associated with the illicit drug market. The contrary is the case. What I'm saying is that often the perception of the violence committed by drug users is sometimes exaggerated and they are less likely to commit violent crimes than other offenders."
He said it had been found that the social environment of a person was a more powerful contributor to whether that person used violence than the effect of drugs on an individual.
His review of available evidence found that most drug users do not commit crimes other than those of possession, and that most problematic drug users began their criminal career prior to beginning to use drugs.
Furthermore, he said a look back at studies conducted in 1997 and 2004 showed that more than 80 per cent of people were first introduced to drugs by a friend. It also showed that most people in 2004 got their drugs from local sources.
"The reason I emphasise that point is because there is often a perception of drug dealers as the stranger at the school gate.
"It's not the case, and it raises issues about how drug use, drug dealing etc infiltrate into local communities, and how the bonds between people are also very important."