The onset of heroin use and criminal behaviour: does order make a difference?

The extent to which the onset of criminality with respect to heroin use acc ounts for heterogeneity within a heroin-using population was investigated a mong 400 community and incarcerated methadone maintenance patients. Those f or whom crime preceded heroin use (primary antisocials) were younger and mo re likely to be male than those for whom heroin use preceded crime (seconda ry antisocials). Primary antisocials were also more likely to have committe d violent crime and to qualify for a diagnosis of antisocial personality di sorder (ASPD). It is concluded that taking the order of onset of heroin use and criminality into account may reduce the risk of overdiagnosing ASPD am ong this population and help clarify the relationship between drug use and crime. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.