NCJ Number
183808
Date Published
March 2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined the level and type of drug use among a sample of detainees from two Local Area Commands in Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
The extent to which individuals who are detained by the police are drug users is a matter of policy significance, because drug-using offenders commit disproportionately more crime than their non-drug-using colleagues. This study improves on prior work by validating self-reported drug use with urinalysis results. The Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) project has been designed to complement existing national illicit drug-use collections while providing data at a local level for local initiatives. This report provides an overview of the results from the two New South Wales sites to date. The first data collection extended from June 7, 1999, to July 16, 1999. The second New South Wales data collection was conducted from October 11, 1999, to November 21, 1999. The results of both collections are included in this report. All detainees brought to the facilities over the designated periods were asked to participate in the study. Data were collected from both males and females. The urinalysis results show that cannabis and opiates were the most commonly used drugs, with 53 percent testing positive for the former drug and 43 percent testing positive for the latter drug. Only 8 percent tested positive for amphetamines. Just under one-third of those detained for a violent offense and 55 percent of those charged with a property offense tested positive for opiates. Overall, 75 percent tested positive for at least one drug. This bulletin advises that the promotion of treatment diversion options should be a priority for governments interested in breaking the nexus between drugs and crime. 12 tables and 8 references