YOUTH CRIME AND DRUGS LINKED

Crime And Drugs Go Hand-In-Hand For Some Young People.

A new Australian report has found young criminals are using hard drugs
years before drug users who are not involved in criminal activity.

An Australian Institute of Criminology report released yesterday found
sentenced property offenders, on average, began using cannabis regularly at
14.7 years old, compared with 18.4 for the wider community.

The report found young criminals started on cannabis then moved on to
harder drugs, on average starting to use cocaine at 17.9 years,
amphetamines at 18 and heroin at 19.

Heroin addicts started earlier in Sydney (18.2 years) than Melbourne (18.7).

Another survey of police detainees confirmed those involved in criminal
activity started using drugs earlier than others.

It showed the average age of first use for cannabis was 15, 18.1 for
amphetamines, 19.4 for heroin and 19.9 for cocaine.

"This should be a matter of concern for policy-makers," the report said.

In the general community, people did not start using cannabis until 18.4
years, then amphetamines at 20, heroin at 21.7 and cocaine at 22.3.

The report found those who started on drugs at an early age were more
likely to take significantly more drugs during their life than later starters.

But there was more than the personal cost for drug takers and their
families, the report found.

Drug addiction and criminal activity also consumed considerable public
resources.

Institute director Dr Adam Graycar said the earlier people start to use
illicit drugs, the more likely there would be adverse effects.

"Generally, education and prevention programs are designed to be applied to
the whole population of young people, yet this study has shown that people
do not initiate drug use at the same time in their lives.

"This fact implies the need for prevention programs which target particular
populations, rather than a one-size-fits-all (approach)."

A Brisbane doctor who works with prisoners and drug-dependent people said
the statistics were "quite expected".

Dr Wendell Rosevear, who has spent 20 years treating Queensland prisoners,
said young people seeking relief turned to such substances.

"They might not feel accepted and might seek peer group acceptance," Dr
Rosevear said.

"They express rebellion for past abuse, insecurity or low self-esteem and
turn to such substances and this in turn results in criminal activity."