Maine Sees Rise in Drug-Fueled Crimes
The state of Maine enjoys a relatively low crime rate compared with the rest of the nation. With this ongoing status, a leap in the number of crimes can quickly gain attention. According to a Maine Today report, the state witnessed a jump in 2009 that was likely fueled by drug addiction.
According to annual crime statistics from the Maine Department of Public Safety, a total of 33,411 of the crimes committed in 2009 are considered to be the 10 most serious crimes, ranging from murder to theft. This total is a 1.8 percent drop from the previous year and is 25.3 offenses per 1,000 residents, compared with the national rate of 45.4 offenses per 1,000 people.
Even with the decline in the number of assaults and aggravated assaults, thefts and auto thefts, robberies, where violence or the threat of violence was used to steal from someone, rose almost 20 percent from 332 to 398. Such crimes are worrisome as they are crimes of violence driven by a need of money or goods, which suggests a level of desperation or callousness.
"It’s driven by narcotics. We know that that’s what is driving the crime," said Portland Police Chief James Craig in Maine Today. Craig’s department’s statistics reflect similar trends, with increases in burglaries and robberies and an overall decline in violent and property crime.
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency director, Roy McKinney, noted the cost to victims of drug-related crime demands a broad response. He told Maine Today that viable prevention programs are needed, along with viable law enforcement and viable treatment programs to address the issue.