Drug Histories and Criminality of Inmates of Local Jails in the United States (1978): Implications for Treatment and Rehabilitation of the Drug Abuser in a Jail Setting

Abstract

A survey by the Department of Justice in 1978 of inmates of local jails in the United States found that 68% had ever used drugs like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, or barbiturates outside a treatment program, and without a doctor's prescription. Offenses for which relatively larger proportions of inmates reported drug use included robbery, burglary, auto theft, larceny, and drug offenses. During the month prior to jail, 44% of inmates reported using drugs. Some 21% of convicted inmates reported being under the influence of drugs at the time of an offense for which convicted. One-fourth of inmates reporting drug use had ever been enrolled in drug treatment. Treatment and rehabilitation of the drug abuser in a jail setting is discussed.

Prisoners as medical patients.

“…[1][2][3] We are unaware of any previous systematic analysis of the patient characteristics and nature of illness resulting in prisoner hospitalization. In this report, we present such an analysis based on a study of state and county prisoners discharged from Westchester County Medical Center during a recent one-year period (1981).…”

Alcohol and drug treatments in Australian correctional services

“…Barton [24] examined a survey by the Department of Justice, conducted in 1978 of inmates of local gaols in the United States. The survey found that 68% had used drugs like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines or barbiturates outside a treatment programme.…”

Saúde sexual e reprodutiva em penitenciária feminina, Espírito Santo, Brasil

“…16 Os delitos associados ao uso ou tráfico de drogas ilícitas representam, via de regra, mais de 50% dos motivos de encarceramento. 1 Assim, os presídios se constituem em um importante local de acesso a essa população. 3,8 O sistema penitenciário no Brasil apresenta sérios problemas.…”

“…3,15 Há também evidências que indicam que as ofensas contra propriedades sejam marcadores para o uso de drogas. 1,15 No presente estudo não foram avaliadas possíveis associações estatísticas entre as ofensas relacionadas às drogas e o uso de drogas injetáveis ou história de prostituição. O uso de drogas, entretanto, foi um comportamento de risco freqüentemente relatado e o trá-fico de drogas, o delito mais prevalente.…”