NCJ Number
222923
Editor(s)
Rob McManus
Date Published
June 2008
Length
229 pages
Annotation
This federally supported report provides comprehensive information about the nature and extent of illegal drug use in South Carolina through the identification of indicators of illegal drug use.
Abstract
The most important finding was the sheer volume of numbers involved in illegal drug use, regardless of the specific measure used. However, despite the large volume of drug arrests, it is apparent that the risk of detection for illegal drug use is low. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, this report was designed to provide statistical data about the nature and extent of illegal drug use in the State of South Carolina. Highlights of findings include: (1) the drug arrest rate increased 46.8 percent from 1996 through 2006; (2) admissions to prison of inmates with drug offenses increased 45.1 percent from fiscal year (FY) 00 through FY 07; (3) the single indicator of decreasing drug use was the inpatient drug related discharge rate dropping 20.3 percent from 1996 through 2006; (4) marijuana accounted for the majority of drug arrests and the majority of positive drug tests among both prison inmates and offenders under community correctional supervision; (5) the marijuana arrest rate increased 37.9 percent from 1996 to 2006; (6) using drug arrests, inmate drug testing, and community corrections drug testing measures, cocaine ranks second to marijuana as the drug of choice; (7) the cocaine arrest rate increased 22.8 percent from 1996 to 2006; (8) young adults, males, and members of racial minorities were disproportionately represented among illegal drug users; (9) males accounted for 83.8 percent of all drug arrests, 91.6 percent of prison drug admissions, and 84.4 percent of community corrections supervision drug admissions; and (10) the drug arrest rate for non-Hispanics was 69.3 percent higher than the drug arrest rate for Hispanics. Tables, charts and references