Daniel Page
Unit 2 Individual Project
American Intercontinental University
Crime and Substance Abuse
May 11, 2014

The two theories that I have selected is Psychological and sociological. Will identify each theory and also describe them in this paper. Also with each theory will explain how drug use and abuse. Talk about how each theory may have a support a strong relationship between drug use and crime. Will talk about two different articles that an individual was charged with a crime while under the influence of illicit substances.

Psychological Theory
Psychological theory focus primarily on the nature of individual experiences which might make one more susceptible to drug use and/or addiction. Based on the notion that addiction is a manifestation of a unique type of personality. More commonly, psychologists have pointed to an addictive personality. Recently, psychologists identify “personality characteristics” that tend to be associated with drug addiction. Jerome Jaffe suggested 3 personality features characteristic of marijuana users: Non-conventionality, open to new experiences, and lower rates of conventional achievement value.
Basically, the psychological theory explains that drug use and abuse begins because of the unconscious motivations within all of us. We are not aware of these motivations, not even when they manifest themselves. So, there are unconscious conflicts and motivations that reside within us as well as our reactions to early events in our lives that move a person toward drug use and abuse. The motivations for drug use are within us, and we are not aware of them, nor are we aware that those are the reasons we have chosen to turn to drugs. In this case, the person may be weak or without self-esteem or even see themselves in the opposite manner, as all-important. Drug use then becomes a sort of crutch to make up with all that is