Typically studies have looked at offending patterns in captive populations, such as those in drug treatment or arrestees and therefore provide a restricted view of the complex relationships between drugs and crime in a total population.
Is gnách go scrúdaíonn na staidéir patrúin chiona i ndaonraí faoi chuing, mar shampla daoine a bhfuil cóir leighis á cur orthu nó daoine a gabhadh ag na péas; soláthraíonn siad, mar sin de, tuairim theorannaithe de na caidrimh chasta idir drugaí agus coireanna i ndaonra iomlán.