CRIMINALS LIKELY TO BE DRUG USERS: SURVEY

Two-thirds ofmen who participated in Australia's first survey on
illicit drug use among people who were arrested tested positive.

Forty-one per cent tested positive to one drug.

But of more concern was 14 per cent testing positive to two drugs and
8 per cent to three drugs, the Australian Institute of Criminology
said in a report on the survey.

Cannabis was the most commonly used, confirming its status as the most
popular illicit drug in Australia, the Drug Use Monitoring in
Australia survey found.

The report said that although the use ofillicit drugs was increasing,
"policy makers have not had good data on drug use among the criminally
active population".

The survey was done on 332 men arrested and held at the Southport
watchhouse on the Gold Coast last year. All gave voluntary urine samples.

About 60 per cent were single and aged 17 to 25.

Three-quarters had less than 10 years of education and 60 per cent
were on welfare.

The director of the Australian Institute of Criminology, Dr Adam
Graycar, said the survey was one of several to be taken around Australia.

"What we're confirming is most people arrested do have illicit drugs
in their system," Dr Graycar said.

But the study was also intended to show what type of drug was
typically used when a certain crime was committed.

It had been shown drugs were much more likely to have been used in
break and enter crimes, as opposed to violent crimes.

The survey found the highest use of cannabis was among drug offenders,
who constituted 13 per cent of those arrested.

Ninety-four per cent tested positive to the drug, with 18 per cent
using benzodiazepines (tranquillisers), 15 per cent amphetamines and
12 per cent opiates.

Ofthe 13 per cent charged with violent crimes, 58 per cent tested
positive to cannabis, 20 per cent to benzodiazepines and 15 per cent
to amphetamines.

Among the 30 per cent charged with property offences, 70 per cent were
on cannabis and 29 per cent on opiates.

Drink drivers constituted 15 per cent of the study group, with 62 per
cent testing positive to cannabis and 18 per cent to amphetamines,
which Dr Graycar said indicated there were problems on our roads.

On multiple use, the study found two-thirds of cannabis users had not
recently used another drug,but the "vast majority" of those who used
opiates, amphetamines and benzodiazepines tested positive to a second
or third drug.

It found there was little overlap in amphetamines and opiates but
considerable overlap in the use of opiates and benzodiazepines.

None ofthose arrested tested positive to cocaine.