Drugs, mental health issues common with SLT criminals
By Brian Uhler
In the last two months, we shared information about crime in general and about DUI, domestic violence and public intoxication. This month, we will give you information about drug use and mental health.
From January through April:
Reported drug events 37.
Mental health detentions 34.
Brian Uhler
Barton Hospital conducts an annual “needs assessment” where they examine the community as a whole from a health perspective. It is of no surprise to us at the SLTPD that the top item on Barton’s list is substance abuse and the second item is mental health.
Regarding drugs, we recently learned that there was a statewide assessment which characterized the drug problem in El Dorado County as being twice as bad as all other counties in California. Of course, drug abuse leads to all kinds of crime problems — particularly property crimes. Some people have the strange belief that drugs should not be a police concern, but only be a matter of public health. If you happen to be in this group, consider the following:
- One statistical report found that jail inmates convicted of robbery (56 percent), weapons violations (56 percent), burglary (55 percent), or motor vehicle theft (55 percent) were most likely to have reported to be using drugs at the time of the offense.
- Another report found that 76 percent of jail inmates who had a mental health problem were dependent on or abused alcohol or drugs, compared to 53 percent of inmates without a mental health problem.
- In another study, over 30 percent of state prisoners reported that they committed their property crime specifically to get money for drugs.
In short, drug abuse and crime are closely correlated. It seems reasonable to assume that lowering the use of drugs in our community would have a positive effect on crime.
On mental health issues, SLTPD staff members receive special training to ensure such events are handled with sensitivity and care for the affected person. This training includes working with officers and dispatchers so they can effectively recognize those with mental disabilities and sensibly intervene to restore peace when such a person is in crisis.
The El Dorado County Health Department has made significant improvements in the last year, working more closely than ever with law enforcement. A grant was recently approved which helps bolster the connection between the Health Department and law enforcement responders.
Brian Uhler is chief of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.
“In short, drug abuse and crime are closely correlated.”
Shocking.
“It seems reasonable to assume that lowering the use of drugs in our community would have a positive effect on crime.”
Good luck putting that ASSumption to use.
Denver Murder Rate Cut in Half After Marijuana Legalization. That’s right, according to statistics recently released by the government in Denver, the amount of robberies and violent crimes significantly decreased since marijuana legalization went into effect. See official City of Denver documents here: http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/720/documents/statistics/2014/UCR_Citywide_Reported%20_Offenses_2014.pdf
Meth and Black Tar are out of control in our little Town.
I’m not believing that just because they legalized Pot in Colorado that the crime rate went down. People that use drugs still need money to get them and if they don’t have a job, will continue to burglarize and rip people off to get the money.
I dont buy it Steve. There is noone out there that can convince me that smoking, eating or injesting marijuana in any form does not change your body and mind in some way. I doubt that crime numbers have decreased because everyone is stoned. Probably cuz they are too stoned to get up off the couch is more likely.
Hey Rock, please get real. That stoner hey dude Jeff Spicolli stereotype is just that, a caricature generalization and doesn’t come close to the personified reality of MANY who ingest marijuana.
Bigger, its not just pot but all drugs and alcohol that are part of this culture of crime and mental health issues that come together to create the above story and scenerios. In most of the articles about crime there is always a reference to the use, presence or need for drugs and alcohol. Very sad indeed.
Anyone who thinks legalization won’t reduce violent crime should attend the Seattle Hempfest, where over 100,000 people a day attend for three days. I was with my good friend, retired Superior Court Judge James Gray, who later spoke to the entire crowd and told them, “I have been here all day and I haven’t seen a single police officer. That’s because the police are not needed here.” Also, to suggest that people who consume weed are forced to steal to support their “habit,” is absurd. I double dog dare anyone to offer a shred of evidence to support such a preposterous and outrageous statement. To see the video of Judge Gray saying police are not needed at Hempfest and that the real problem is alcohol, not weed, go here and start at 3:14 into the tape. http://youtu.be/ubeV4EjlF94 BTW, what part of the Denver stats showing a 50% reduction in murder, did you not understand?
Steve, statistics are most often skewed to reflect the outcome a study wants to prove or dispell. I learned that in graduate school statistics 101. Maybe in denver or seattle the drug/pot culture are more mello as compared to here in SLT, I still have not seen a single article about violent crime thar dosent mention drugs as a factor, but than im not all that into reading about this subject. I guess you feel pretty special hanging out with big boy judges at pot festivals. Is that supposto be some sort of exclamation on your point? Im not really that impressed by name droppers…
Does anyone seriously believe that Denver officials are trying to promote their own statistics showing legalization stops violent crime? If anything, we would expect Denver officials to downplay such stats. These numbers, which were compiled by the government, are compelling and are also matched by a 9% drop in fatal vehicle accidents in states that legalize medical cannabis. Furthermore, the State of California has documented that medical marijuana results in up to a 50% reduction in teen use. So these are the real facts and everything else is just uninformed opinions.
Steve ,you know what ? IF we can show people what Marijuana does in person to people that do not understand what its good for, maybe it will help those who really need it,Action is louder then words , We do not set on the couch after use , We feel better about our selves in mind and body ,and soul, It does make a change for the better ,not worse,If your depressed use it, if you are in pain ,use it, but I feel a lot of people that are not on it, sure our having it hard on alcohol, and pills,just my thoughts ,I see this in action on pills and alcohol,
I’m not disputing anything about pot use. I grew up in the era of pot smoking so am well aware of how it makes a person feel. I just don’t believe legalizing it in Colorado has anything to do with the crime rate dropping. What’s different? You still need money to buy it and if you don’t have money you are probably going to rip someone off.
Kathy, im happy for you that pot makes you feel better and good about your self. I just dont subscribe to the “theory” that having pot readily available in a community will change the crime statistics. My personal experience with pot is that its gotten stronger and costs more. Im in agreement with Dean, if you need the drug you are gonna get it by any means. My neighbors just had a rental house blown up by their renter cooking pot. No crime…go figure….
If the powers that be can’t even keep drugs out of the prisons how can they put a dent in their use on the streets??
Because of greed
Police officers have one of the highest divorce rates of all occupations in the United States. If we reduce the number of police officers, we can reduce the rate of divorce. Isn’t logic wonderful as a justification tool?