Number of People in Jail or State Prisons Who Report Committing Crime to Get Money for Drugs

"About 21% each of state prisoners and sentenced jail inmates said their most serious current offense was committed to get money for drugs or to obtain drugs (table 7). A larger percentage of prisoners (39%) and jail inmates (37%) held for property offenses said they committed the crime for money for drugs or drugs than other offense types. Nearly a third of drug offenders (30% of state prisoners and 29% of jail inmates) said they committed the offense to get drugs or money for drugs. Approximately 1 in 6 state prisoners (15%) and jail inmates (14%) who committed violent offenses said they did so to get money for drugs or to obtain drugs."

Source: 

Jennifer Bronson, PhD, Jessica Stroop, Stephanie Zimmer, and Marcus Berzofsky, PhD. Drug Use, Dependence, and Abuse Among State Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2007-2009. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 2017. NCJ250546.