NCJ Number
93786
Date Published
1982
Length
90 pages
Annotation
This survey describes the characteristics, drug use, and criminal histories of all 846 persons taken to hospital by ambulance service for acute drug poisoning during the year beginning August l98l in Melbourne, Australia, and compares the incidence of drug poisoning with the 842 drug offenses reported to the police in the same period.
Abstract
Of the acute drug poisoning patients, 62 percent were female and 48 percent were under 30 years old. Over l3 percent of those attempting suicide had a history of psychiatric illness. Tranquilizers, hypnotics, and sedatives were used by 86 percent of all patients and comprised 58 percent of all drugs recorded by ambulance drivers. Alcohol use was often combined with all legal categories used in suicide attempts. Nearly 40 percent of the men and 20 percent of the women who attempted suicide were previously known to the police. In the majority of cases, the first contact with the law was between the ages of l7 and 20 years. However, most people known to the police were known for reasons other than drug involvement, and only about 3 percent of all drug overdoses had a criminal record. There was no significant relationship between the legality of drugs used and the likelihood of being known to the police. Nearly one-third of acute drug poisoning cases and drug offenses occurred in central Melbourne. In conclusion, drug abuse in Melbourne is a continuum of drug using behaviors ranging in severity from a single incident of teenage drunkenness to addiction to illegal drugs such as heroin. The project demonstrated that it is not possible to categorize drug abusers according to their drug of abuse or the legality of their drug use. The results also suggest that psychological factors may be more important than economic necessity in determining the criminal behavior of drug abusers. Tables, over 60 references, and an index are supplied.