A Statistical Study of Criminal Drug Addicts

Abstract

Psychiatric Clinic study covering all drug addicts arraigned for felonious crimes in New York City between 1954 and 1960 showed that the incidence of psychosis and psychoneurosis in this group is insignificant. The incidence of definite mental deficiency is also extremely low, .02 per cent. Probably half of the individuals seen can be best described as various types of psychopathic personalities. The remainder may be considered to show, at least initially in their histories, lesser types of character and behavior disorders; and their personality defects tend to be predominantly in the fields of ethical and moral laxity and social irresponsibility. Therefore, the logical way for society to deal with the problem of criminal addicts is to use primarily the sociological measures that are determined to be most effective in curbing the depredations of the psychopath, and secondarily whatever educational and sociological measures are determined most useful in elevating the ethical and moral standards and responsibility of the individual citizen.