Comparing Drug Use Rates of Detained Arrestees in the United States and England: Research Report

First report of the International Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (I-Adam), modelled after the U.S. program (ADAM), being implemented in various countries. Detained arrestees are periodically tested to determine the extent of illicit drug use in this population. This report provides a comparative analysis of surveys of arrestees in England and the U.S. The report provides statistical comparisons of compares several aspects of drug use in the two countries: urinalysis results for six types of drugs; self reported use of 10 types of drugs; the extent to which drugs are injected; the extent to which arrestees had received drug treatment before; the extent to which they want to receive treatment; age of first drug use; and levels of legal and illegal income among detainees. In both countries, rates of drug use are high; there is little difference between the extent to which detainees have received or want to receive drug treatment; and little difference in age of first drug use. Arrestees in England report higher levels of illegal income, expenses on drugs, and use of opiates/heroin, meth and amphetamines. Cocaine/crack use was significantly higher in the U.S.