Robert L. DuPont

In the following viewpoint, Robert L. DuPont contends that drug use often leads to violence. He argues that the self-centered and hedonistic values that are the basis of crime are the same as those that lead to drug use. DuPont asserts that another way in which drug use results in violent crime is by impairing the brain. According to DuPont, because drugs have a detrimental effect on the brain, drug legalization would likely worsen the crime problem by making drugs more available. DuPont is the president of the Institute for Behavior and Health in Rockville, Maryland.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What does DuPont believe led to the escalation in crime in Washington, D.C., during the late 1960s?
2. According to the author, why have many people responded positively to the idea of...