NCJ Number
176389
Date Published
1997
Length
134 pages
Annotation
This report examines issues associated with the introduction of ethnic monitoring by British police forces in 1996, a practice designed to document police contacts with minority citizens.
Abstract
Urine tests showed high levels of recent drug consumption among arrestees; 61 percent had taken at least one illegal drug. Cannabis was found most often, with 46 percent testing positive for it; however, those who tested positive for cannabis alone were not heavily involved in acquisitive crime. Comparatively high proportions of arrestees across all five areas tested positive for heroin/opiates (18 percent) and cocaine/crack (10 percent). These are costly drugs, often thought to be funded through acquisitive crime. Nearly half the arrestees who reported taking drugs within the last year said their drug use was connected with their offending. Among various factors, they emphasized the need for money to buy drugs. those who stated there was a connection between their drug use and their offending reported illegal incomes two to three times higher than other arrestees. The illegal income of arrestees who said they had taken heroin and/or crack during the last 3 days was particularly high, i.e., within a range of 10,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds annually. This compared with approximately 4,000 pounds for other arrestees. Illegal income mainly came from acquisitive crimes against property. An estimated 32 percent of all illegal income was spent on purchasing heroin and/or crack. The arrestees had high levels of drug dependency. Over 1 in 10 reported dependency on heroin, even more on cannabis. Approximately 1 in 5 expressed an interest in treatment. 1 figure