Management of Criminal Propensity Among Drug Addicts Through Yoga

Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized bycompulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences (National Institute onDrug Abuse, 2014). Substance abuse had spread epidemically in the beginning of the21st century (MacNeil, Stewart, & Kaufman, 2000). As per World Drug Report 2017globally, premature deaths due to drugs are estimated to be 1,90,000 out of which themajority is attributable to the opioids use. An estimated quarter of a billion people ofthe world adult population, used drug a minimum of one time in 2015. Even moreworrisome statistics is that, about 29.5 million of drug users suffer from drug usedisorders and out of this, 70 percent of the diseases were attributable to opioids, thuscausing the highest negative impact on health (United Nations Office on Drugs andCrime [UNODC], 2017). India ranks third largest producer of synthetic opium afterPakistan and Burma (Paoli, Greenfield, Charles, & Reuter, 2009). The menace of drugabuse in Punjab is worse than the rest of the country. The total number of drug usersin Punjab is 2,32,856 out of which, 99% are male (Phukan, 2017). In this regard,Singh (2010) reported that the opiates consumption in the state of Punjab is thrice asper national average report. In India there are about two lakh intravenous drug users(IDUS) out of which Punjab counts 26.1% (National AIDS Control Organisation[NACO], 2012). Furthermore, there is 200 to 250 billion dollar expenditure in treatingdrug abuse (UNODC, 2010).The review of existing literature shows that in India and specifically the state ofPunjab has witnessed a gigantic use of drugs in the recent past years (Kalva andBansal, 2012). Drugs are related to crime in many ways. To use, purchase, sold,manufacture or distribute illicit drug is considered as a crime. Propocyphene,methadone, opiates, heroin, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine are a few examples ofthese illicit drugs. Their intake changes the behaviour of an individual thus makingthem vulnerable to aggression, violence and mental illness. A high percentage ofcrime is being done under the influence of drugs or liquor. Literature shows the roleof drugs and alcohols in proliferation of crime. The use of drugs, alcohol consumptionand violent crime are closely linked with each other (Valdez, Kaplan, & Curtis, 2007).Regarding this, Mumola (1999) reported that 60% to 80% of crime is related to drug.Additionally, Singh and Singh (2011) observed that drug users are involved in crimeand possess traits that predispose individuals to criminal behaviour such as antisocialpersonality disorder (ASPD). Criminal propensity explains the various forms ofantisocial behaviour. "Criminal propensity is genetic however these pathological traitsinteract and are often aggravated by environmental social conditions" (Delisi, 2005).In the similar vein, Singh and Sharma (2016) reviewed literature pertaining to crime,behaviour of criminals and drug addicts. They identified four dimensions viz.,aggression, disobedience, anti social behaviour and drug abuse to measure criminalpropensity among drug addicts.