ARRESTEES' DRUG USE RATED

Nearly three-quarters of women arrested and screened in Albuquerque
last year tested positive for an illegal drug, according to a study
recently released by the Justice Department.

In the cities surveyed, Albuquerque women arrested ranked second in
opiate use (including heroin) and both the men and women ranked in the
top five for cocaine use along with other much larger cities.

The "1999 Annual Report on Drug Use Among Adult and Juvenile
Arrestees" is part of the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program -- a
National Institute of Justice program.

The adult data were collected nationwide from more than 30,000 men in
34 cities and 10,000 women in 32 cities.

Those arrested and booked were interviewed and tested for the
following five drugs: cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, opiates and
PCP.

In Albuquerque, 529 men and 180 women took part in the random
sampling, which took place quarterly. The subjects had been arrested
on charges such as robbery, assault, larceny, burglary and drug
possession. Juveniles were not included in the local study.

In Albuquerque, the study showed that about 74 percent of women and 64
percent of men tested positive for at least one the drugs. The
national median rate for females was 67 percent; and for males was 64
percent.

"In Albuquerque and Chicago, close to 30 percent of the males and
close to 40 percent of the females tested positive for more than one
drug," the report stated.

Other study findings:

* Albuquerque male and female prisoners were most likely to use
cocaine -- 43 percent of males and 56 percent of females 97 followed by
marijuana -- 37 percent of males and 24 percent of females.

* 31 percent of the Albuquerque women surveyed tested positive for
opiates, a broad class of drugs that includes heroin, morphine and
codeine. That placed Albuquerque second behind only Chicago at 32 percent.

"Our females test higher, in general, but why that is I don't know.
That would take further analysis," said Sandra Woerle, a UNM research
scientist who was the Albuquerque coordinator of the study.

The Institute for Social Research at UNM submitted a proposal and was
selected by the Institute of Justice.

The results are not that surprising, one jail official
said.

"I think that's the trend throughout the country," said Michael
Sisneros, deputy director at the Bernalillo County Detention Center.
"I think it's a reflection of the times in our society."

Despite the indication that many people jailed test positive, Sisneros
said dealing with people under the influence does not pose a big
problem at the jail.

Aside from the emergency medical staff always present, people housed
for extended periods of time have access to drug detoxification and
counseling at the jail, he said.

Sisneros also said the new metropolitan area jail being built will
allow officers to better monitor inmates.

The study is intended to provide law agencies and drug treatment
providers with information to help stop illegal drug use.

"The (report) data already reinforces what we know -- there is a strong
link between drug use and criminal behavior," Attorney General Janet
Reno said in a prepared statement.

Nationally, in 27 of 34 cities, more than 60 percent of the adult
males surveyed tested positive for at least one drug.

Results for males ranged from 50 percent in San Antonio, Texas, to 77
percent in Atlanta.

At 22 of 32 sites nationwide that surveyed women, more than 60 percent
tested positive for at least one of the drugs, ranging from 22 percent
in Laredo to 81 percent in New York.

The monitoring program operates in 25 states and the District of
Columbia. Over the next three years, the program is to expand to a
total of 75 cities with population of 200,000 or more or the largest
city in the state. The full report can be viewed at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij.