DRUG MISUSE

One of the most important issues within Starley Cross is the expansion of drug culture correlated prostitution. Drug related offences don’t seem to be the main problem while looking at Crime Figures provided by Starley Cross.

Nonetheless almost 30% of residents claim that people using or dealing drugs impact neighborhood making it dysfunctional.

The connection between socio-economic situation and drug misuse is a central aspect in British drug problems. Therefore it is important to understand the wider context of drug use (Seddon, 2005). The roots associated with the issue are related to social exclusion. Young people within Starley Cross who are often excluded because of their economic status or ethnicity are at a greater risk of drug use and anti-social behaviour. Weak bonds with parents and guardians, school exclusion and contact with CJS increases the risk of living in a disorganised neighborhood.

Therefore, such lifestyle choices are taking them towards the margins of society (McCrystal, Percy and Higgins, 2007). Expansion of subcultures including drug culture is caused mainly by marginalisation. The marginalised tend to look for contact with people sharing the same values. Because of the peer pressure associated with such subcultures, we deal with drug misuse frequently (Foster, 2000).

Those dependant on drugs are often involved in:

Acquisitive Crime

Prostitution

Drug Dealing

(Seddon, 2005).

PROBLEM OF DRUG CULTURE

Prostitution is usually caused by peer pressure, homelessness and drug addiction. Sex work has been linked with drug use for ages. Drug addiction can also cause less safe sex, which in turn leads to increase in sexually transmitted infections (Bhunu and Mushayabasa, 2012).