It is a widely accepted fact that drug use can lead to some other criminal activities. Unfortunately, some of these are violent crimes. The correlation between violent behavior and drugs is one that has to be controlled or the person who is addicted to drugs will likely face a charge for it.
More than 75% of individuals who receive drug addiction treatments note that they have acted violently. Around 50% of females and around 72% of men attempt violent actions prior to seeking treatment.
The increase in violence isn’t associated only with drugs. There is also a correlation between consuming alcohol and violent behaviors. One theory is that these individuals tend to bury angry feelings, but they don’t have that type of control when they are impaired so it all comes out.
The types of violent acts that can come from drug abuse or alcoholism vary greatly. In around 40% to 60% of domestic violence cases, substance abuse is a factor. Rape, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and muggings are also commonly noted when discussing drug abuse.
It isn’t sensible to just throw criminal charges at drug-addicted individuals who have done these things. Instead, they need a dual-therapy approach that can help them to learn how to cope with their emotions and violent reactions while getting help for the addiction. Unfortunately, a violent encounter prevents these individuals from utilizing the drug court program, which could be a viable option to steer them toward a productive path in life.
For people who are facing a criminal charge and drug addiction, being able to address the underlying mental health conditions and getting the criminal charge handled are priorities so they can move forward with their life. Learning the defense options for the criminal charge is one important step in this process.