Between June and September 1987 926 prisoners received into Perth metropolitan
prisons were screened for alcohol and drug problems. A comprehensive interviewer
administered questionnaire and other measures such as content analysis of medical and
criminal records provided the data base. To enable a thorough analysis, and a
comparison across record types, an eight point classification system was used. This
system incorporated dimensions of “consumption”, “dependency”, “association with
crime” and “self perception” for alcohol and drug use. The results suggest that a
third of the sample consume “hazardous” amounts of alcohol. Only 6% of the sample
were classified as current drug dependents. The results support previous research
which indicates that alcohol abuse amongst offenders is a major problem. The groups
that emerge as the main concerns are: Aboriginal alcohol abusers, alcohol abusers not
concerned with their alcohol use, drunk drivers and women drug and alcohol abusers.
The validity of the screening insruments is examined, a strategy for screening for
drug and alcohol problems is susggested and the implications of the results for
prevention and treatment interventions is discussed.
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