STUDENT MURDER CAN CAUSE MISUNDERSTANDING

The murder of another Appalachian State University student -- Stephen
Harrington -- is tragic.

Since this crime is reportedly drug-related, like ASU student Joey
McClure's murder in October 2004 -- many may draw false conclusions about
the university and the surrounding communities. That two ASU students have
been murdered in the past 13 months in drug-related incidents might lead
one to believe that ASU is not a safe campus, that Boone and the
surrounding communities are dangerous, that we have a rampant drug problem
here, that illicit drug use drives violent crime, and that the most
dangerous drugs are illegal drugs. These are all false.

First, these murders occurred off campus.

Appalachian State University is a very safe place.

Police statistics and surveys of students by campus experts show that the
grounds of ASU are not dangerous, that students are generally not afraid of
crime, and that they perceive minimal threats to their personal safety.

Second, Watauga County is a very safe place.

Clearly, murder is a very rare crime around these parts.

Further, crimes known to the police -- especially violent crimes -- occur
infrequently here, and our crime rate is far below the national average.

While there are likely many violent crimes that are not reported to the
police, Boone and the surrounding areas are not generally characterized by
social and environmental factors that criminologists say are related to
high violent crime rates. Third, there is little evidence to suggest that
we have a significant drug problem.

While rumor has it that Appalachian State University leads the state
university system in reported drug violations, this is likely due not only
to higher drug use, but also to a higher focus on drug-related activity by
area law enforcement. Given that Watauga County has so little violent
crime, and because of the local concern over methamphetamine laboratories
in the area, our law enforcement officials are likely more focused on
illicit drugs than officials working on and around other state university
campuses. Fourth, research by drug policy experts clearly illustrates that
most drug-related crime is not psychopharmacological in nature.

That is, the bulk of violent crime associated with illicit drugs is not due
to individuals using illicit drugs and then becoming violent.

Instead, drug-related violence is mostly systemic and economic compulsive.
Systemic violence is criminality driven by the black market (for example,
when one dealer kills another dealer or a buyer who owes him money).
Economic compulsive violence is criminality committed by people to obtain
money to buy drugs, which are higher in price given their illegal nature.

If the murder of ASU student Stephen Harrington turns out to be
drug-related, like the murder of ASU student Joey McClure was alleged to
be, it will likely be another example of systemic violence.

One proper conclusion to draw from these deaths is that, in some cases,
America's drug war actually produces violence and murder. This in no way
reflects badly on local law enforcement. Instead, it suggests that
law-makers should begin to consider alternatives to the drug war that would
simultaneously discourage young people from using drugs and protect us all
from the violent crimes committed by people engaged in the illicit drug market.

America's drug war does not accomplish this.

Finally, the most dangerous drugs in America remain tobacco and alcohol.
Tobacco will kill far more ASU students than all illicit drugs combined,
and alcohol -- the most widely used drug by ASU students -- will lead to
more criminality than all illicit drugs combined.

Matthew Robinson is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Appalachian
State University. He regularly team-teaches a course on the war on drugs
and is co-author of a forthcoming book titled Lies, Damn Lies, and Drug War
Statistics, to be published by SUNY Press in 2006.