The Similarity of Crime Rates among Male Heroin Addicts in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore

Abstract

The similarity of crime rates among 617 heroin addicts in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore was investigated. It was found that aggregate crime rates, participation rates and frequency of crime among addicts in the three cities were remarkably similar. Thus, when “on the street” and addicted, the mean offense rate for addicts in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore were, respectively, 603, 631 and 567 offenses per year. Their respective mean crime-days per year at risk were 217, 269 and 227. Similarities and differences between offense rates and lifetime arrest rates were also analyzed.