Alcohol and drug use as a contributing factor in the commission of crime – perceptions of Australian detainees By: Alexandra Gannoni on behalf of Dr Susan Goldsmid 2014 Australian Winter School Conference, 23-24 July What do we know? •Alcohol and drug misuse are key determinants in the initiation and maintenance of criminal offending •Odds of criminal offending 2.8 to 3.8 times greater for drug users than non-drug users (Bennett, Holloway & Farrington 2008) •Regular users of both amphetamines and heroin self-report violent and property offences at rates more than five times higher than prisoners with no history of drug abuse (Makkai & Payne 2003) •Drug use is linked to higher recidivism rates among prison populations (Kinner 2006) What is DUMA? Drug Use Monitoring in Australia •Created in 1999, DUMA is the largest and longest-running ongoing survey of Australian police detainees •Based on I-ADAM (United States-driven international project) •Co-operative partnership between AIC, local researchers and police

1. Alcohol and drug use as a contributing factor in the
commission of crime – perceptions of Australian detainees
Alexandra Gannoni on behalf of
Dr Susan Goldsmid
2014 Australian Winter School Conference, 23-24 July

2. What will be covered today?
• An overview of the Drug Use Monitoring in
Australia (DUMA) program
• An examination of the prevalence of drug and
alcohol consumption among Australian police
detainees
• An examination of the role that drug and alcohol
play in criminal offending

3. Background
• In the 1990s crime rates were rising as were drug
indicators such as heroin overdoses
• High crime rates, particularly property crime, could
not be explained
• The suspicion was that the rise in crime was related
to illicit drug use

4. What do we know?
• Alcohol and drug misuse are key determinants in the initiation
and maintenance of criminal offending
• Odds of criminal offending 2.8 to 3.8 times greater for drug
users than non-drug users (Bennett, Holloway & Farrington 2008)
• Regular users of both amphetamines and heroin self-report
violent and property offences at rates more than five times
higher than prisoners with no history of drug abuse (Makkai &
Payne 2003)
• Drug use is linked to higher recidivism rates among prison
populations (Kinner 2006)

5. What is DUMA?
Drug Use Monitoring in Australia
• Created in 1999, DUMA is the largest and longest-
running ongoing survey of Australian police
detainees
• Based on I-ADAM (United States-driven
international project)
• Co-operative partnership between AIC, local
researchers and police

6. What are the objectives of DUMA?
• Collect illicit drug prevalence data on offenders at
selected sites in Australia
• Improve the quality of data available on illicit drug use in
the offender population
• Establish a mechanism whereby local and national law
enforcement can evaluate policy initiatives
• Provide information on co-morbidity to assist in resource
allocation and service provision in the health sector
• Provide an early warning system for changes in patterns
of illicit drug use

7. The link between drug and alcohol use
and crime
Aim:
• To examine the prevalence of drug and alcohol use
across detainees for different categories of
offending
• To examine the extent to which detainees report that
drugs or alcohol are a contributing factor in their
most recent criminal offending

8. DUMA methodology
Core survey (questions asked every quarter):
• Demographics
• Alcohol and drug use
• Drug market indicators
• Emerging drugs
• Criminal history information
Addendum (questions asked in a particular quarter):
• Designed to examine topical issues

9. Why interview police detainees?
• Insight into the extent and nature of drug use –
information not available in drug arrest or seizure
data
• Population is likely to have recent and close contact
with local drug markets
• Likely to be the first group within a particular area to
begin using a new drug (Bennett 1998)
• More likely to partake in illicit drug use than non-
detainees (Bennett 1998)

10. DUMA methodology
Urine collection and analysis:
• Detainees are asked to provide a urine sample
• Urinalysis tests for:
 Cannabis
 Cocaine
 Amphetamines (methamphetamine, MDMA, other
amphetamines)
 Opiates (heroin, methadone, buprenorphine, other opiates)
 Benzodiazepines

11. Sampling method
Data collection period: Four weeks
Data sample: All arrestees over the period are asked to participate.
Juveniles only participate in NSW
Eligibility for interview: In custody for less than 96 hours
Eligibility for urine collection: In custody for less than 48 hours
Exclusions: Detainees who are unfit for interview due to
alcohol/drugs/medication, or who are considered mentally unfit or
potentially violent

12. Sydney
Bankstown &
Kings Cross
Brisbane
East Perth
Western
Australia
Northern
Territory
South
Australia
Queensland
New South
Wales
Victoria
Tasmania
Adelaide
Current DUMA Sites

13. DUMA survey item
Respondent prompt: Thinking about the main reason
why you have been detained today…..
Question: How much do you think [substance]
contributed to what happened?
1. Not at all
2. A little
3. A lot
4. Don’t know

14. Findings from the DUMA program
The sample (2013)
• 1,134 adult detainees
• 18% female; 82% male
• 756 (67% of sample) provided a urine
sample
• Mean age: 32 (range 18-75 years)
• 44% had previously been in prison

15. Proportion of detainees testing positive
to drugs via urinalysis (n=756)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%

16. Proportion of detainees reporting drug
and/or alcohol attribution (n=1,134)
*Drugs include cannabis, heroin, speed & MDMA
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Drugs Alcohol Combined

17. Most serious offence
Percentage of detainees falling in each most serious
offence classification:
 Violent offenders (28%)
 Breach offenders (25%)
 Property offenders (20%)
 Drug offenders (10%)
 Disorder offenders (8%)
 Traffic offenders (5%)
 Drinking driving offenders (3%)

18. DUMA sample: Drug and alcohol attributions by
most serious offence classification (n=1,126)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Violent
(n=317)
Property
(n=223)
Drug
(n=108)
Drink
driving
(n=34)
Traffic
(n=61)
Disorder
(n=85)
Breaches
(n=284)
Other
(n=14)
Total
detainees
(n=1,126)
Alcohol
Drugs
Combined

19. Violent offenders: Self-reported use in last 48 hours
and attribution by substance type (n=317)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Cannabis Heroin Meth Ecstasy Alcohol Any drug Any
substance
Self-reported 48 hour use
Self-reported attribution

20. Property offenders: Self-reported use in last 48
hours and attribution by substance type (n=223)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Cannabis Heroin Meth Ecstasy Alcohol Any drug Any
substance
Self-reported 48 hour use
Self-reported attribution

21. Drug offenders: Self-reported use in last 48-hours
and attribution by substance type (n=108)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Cannabis Heroin Meth Ecstasy Alcohol Any drug Any
substance
Self-reported 48 hour use
Self-reported attribution

22. Disorder offenders: Self-reported use in last 48-
hours and attribution by substance type (n=85)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Cannabis Heroin Meth Ecstasy Alcohol Any drug Any
substance
Self-reported 48 hour use
Self-reported attribution

23. Breach offenders: Self-reported use in last 48-
hours and attribution by substance type (n=284)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Cannabis Heroin Meth Ecstasy Alcohol Any drug Any
substance
Self-reported 48 hour use
Self-reported attribution

24. Summary of findings
• Approximately half of detainees reported that drugs
and/or alcohol was a contributing factor in their
current offending.
• Cannabis was the most commonly used drug for all
offence categories, but one of the drugs least likely
to be identified as contributing to current offending.
• Self-reported rates of use in 48 hours prior to
interview for heroin, methamphetamine and ecstasy
were highly associated with attribution rates for all
offences.

25. Summary of findings
Alcohol attribution
• Disorder (51%)
• Violent (31%)
• Breach (25%)
• Property (11%)
• Drug (9%)
Drug attribution
• Drug (53%)
• Property (32%)
• Violent (23%)
• Breach (21%)
• Disorder (9%)

26. Limitations
Reliability of self-report data
• Assumes that detainees can accurately and reliably
recognise the role that drug or alcohol use played in
their offending.
• Possible under-reporting due to fear of implicating
themselves in illegal activity
Sampling method
• Detainees who are extremely intoxicated are likely to
have high attribution levels but are excluded from
the sample

27. Conclusion
• Detainees report alcohol and/or drugs as a
contributing factor for a variety of crimes.
• The role that alcohol and drugs play in
offending appears to vary across crime types.
• There appears to be a need for treatment and
diversion programs among the detainee
population.

28. Thank you for listening
aic.gov.au
Alexandra Gannoni
Alexandra.Gannoni@aic.gov.au
Susan Goldsmid
Susan.Goldsmid@aic.gov.au

29. References
Bennett T (1998) Drugs and crime: The results of research on drug testing and
interviewing arrestees. Research study 183. London: Home Office.
Bennett T, Holloway K & Farrington D (2008) ‘The statistical association between
drug misuse and crime: A meta-analysis’, Aggression and Violent Behaviour,
vol. 13, pp. 107-118.
Kinner SA (2006) The post-release experience of prisoners in Queensland. Trends
& Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 325. Canberra: Australian Institute
of Criminology.
Makkai T (1999) Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA): A Brief Description.
Research and Public Policy Series no. 21 Australian Institute of Criminology:
Canberra.
Makkai T & Payne J (2003) Drugs and crime: A study of incarcerated male
offenders. Research and public policy series no. 52. Canberra: Australian
Institute of Criminology.
Senese JD (1997) Applied Research Methods. Nelson-Hall Publishers: Chicago
Shearer RA (2005) Interviewing Theories Techniques Practices. Pearson Prentice
Hall: New Jersey