Drugs & Crime

• NSW Government Resources
• Other Australian Resources
• International Resources

NSW Government Resources

NSW Attorney General's Department

1. NSW Recorded Crime Statistics Quarterly Update June 2007
2. NSW Recorded Crime Statistics 2006
   Figures released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show that, apart from a 4.3 per cent increase in malicious damage to property, the major categories of crime across NSW either fell or remained stable over the 24 months to December 2006.
3. The impact of the Australian heroin drought on robbery in NSW
   A bulletin from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. It examines the factors behind robbery trends and discusses their significance for future drug law enforcement policy. 2004
4. The impact of heroin dependence on long-term robbery trends
   This study reports the results of a time series analysis of the relationship between heroin use and robbery over the period 1966 to 2000 in NSW. October 2003
5. Evaluation of the Lismore MERIT Pilot Program
6. NSW MERIT Program
7. Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT)
   A conference paper presented at the Australian Institute of Criminology National Crime Prevention Conference, Sydney 12-13 September 2002 by Bruce Flaherty and Joanne Jousif, Crime Prevention Division, NSW Attorney General's Department about the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program. 2002
8. Drug Crime Prevention and Mitigation
   A review on the efficacy of crime prevention and mitigation in reducing illicit drug use and/or the harm it causes. This is by Don Weatherburn, Libby Topp, Richard Midford and Steve Allsopp. 2000

NSW Police: Drugs 

NSW Parliament
Drug Offences: An Update on Crime Trends, Diversionary Programs and Drug Prisons
A reviewof criminal justice strategies towards drug offenders in NSW. May 2004

Back to top

Other Australian Resources

Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA)
Inquiry into Crime in Australia
A Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. The submission provides an overview of the types of alcohol and other drug-related crimes that are committed against Australians and highlights the need for effective approaches to prevention, which seek to increase protective factors, reduce risk factors and build resilience. 2002

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
National Information Development Plan for Crime and Justice
The Plan covers statistics as they relate to the field of crime and justice. It aims to lead to an increased knowledge about and use of currently available data, lead to improved data availability in the future and assist in establishing a framework for future development in the area.

Australian Federal Police (AFP)

Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC)

1. Alcohol, drugs and crime : a study of juveniles in detention
   An examination of the offending and drug use histories of 371 young offenders incarcerated in juvenile detention centres across Australia. The study confirms that juveniles in detention have extensive offending and drug use histories, in terms of both violent and property crime, and regularly use alcohol, cannabis and, to a lesser extent, amphetamines. The study identifies various risk factors for drug use and offending and highlights the need for a targeted approach to combat abuse, neglect and family drug use earlier in a child's life, as well as to have effective programs that address issues such as drug use, housing needs, skills development, individual and family support for chronic young offenders. 2005
2. Gender differences in the sequence of drug use and crime
   Results suggest that illicit drugs may play a different role in the development of a criminal career for women as compared with men. February 2005
3. Drugs and crime : a study of incarcerated female offenders
   This monograph presents findings from the DUCO female study. Results have identified important differences in the patterns of drug use of women as compared to men. Risk factors for drug use have also been identified. Understanding patters in offending and drug use, and the connection between the two, may assist in the development of interventions and crime reduction strategies for women offenders. 10 Jan 2005
4. Patterns of Antisocial Behaviour from Early to Late Adolescence
   50 per cent of all persons apprehended for offending in 2002 to 2003 (Victoria Police 2004) were aged between 10 and 24. As not all antisocial behaviour is recorded by police, it is valuable to measure adolescents’ own reports of their involvement in such behaviour.This paper analyses data from a large longitudinal study of Victorian children. It focuses on the types and extent of antisocial behaviour and explores differing across-time patterns of such behaviour. Dec. 2004
5. Drug Related Crime Statistics
6. Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA): 2004 annual report on drug use among police detainees. 2005 
7. Drug Use Monitoring in Australia : 2003 annual report on drug use among police detainees. 2004
8. Does drug use cause crime? : understanding the drugs-crime link
   This paper summarises the findings of research into the drugs-crime link, which has generally concluded that the relationship is extremely complex and defies attempts to sort out directionality. As drug use and crime involvement appear to have common origins, action to address drugs and crime must be a balanced mixture of measures designed to address long-term underlying causes as much as the immediate problems through education, law enforcement and treatment. April 2004
9. Key findings from the Drug Use Careers of Offenders (DUCO) study. February 2004
10. Drugs and crime : a study of incarcerated male offenders 
    2003

Family and Friends For Drug Law Reform
Crime and Illicit Drugs: an information paper
February 2004

Medical Journal of Australia
Substance-use disorders and psychological distress among police arrestees
The report of a study to determine the prevalence of substance-use disorders and psychological morbidity in the Australian arrestee population. The findings provide crucial information for the planning and implementation of drug courts and court diversion systems. 2003

South Australian Drug Summit
Breaking the Drugs and Crime Cycle
An Issues Paper presented at the SA Drug Summit discussing those people involved in possession and use of drugs but who not engaged in other criminal activities. These people use drugs and commit crime either to finance their habit or while they are under the influence of drugs. This discussion paper  also discusses the prevention of harm to rehabilitate offenders and protect the community. June 2002

Back to top

International Resources

Beckley Foundation
Reducing drug related crime: An overview of the global evidence.
This report looks at the global evidence base for the reduction of drug related crime. The report looks at three types of drug related crime (violence associated with illegal drug markets, crimes committed by individuals under the influence of drugs, and petty crime committed by drug users to pay for their drug purchases), and attempts to summarise the current research knowledge on which policies and actions have (or have not) been effective in reducing their impacts on society. The report concludes that many drug policy initiatives that have been designed to reduce drug related crime have had little or no impact, but there are some promising signs of success with treatment based, or general crime reduction approaches. 2005

EMCDDA
Illicit drug use in the EU: legislative approaches
This paper is intended more as an overview of Member States legal provisions than as an indepth analysis. No recommendations are made on any point and the document does not claim to offer an exhaustive analysis of the relevant provisions and practices. 2005

Europol
Drug Overview 2004

Interpol

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime  (UNODC)

UNODC Update
UNODC's quarterly UPDATE highlights current activities, ongoing programmes and people who are making a difference.

UK Government

1. Drugs and crime: the results of research on drug testing and interviewing arrestees
   An assessment of the drug consumption of people arrested by the police. It also looks at the crimes that are committed to fund the purchasing of drugs. 1998
2. Drugs and crime: the results of the second developmental stage of the NEW-ADAM programme
   This report gives an assessment of suspected offenders arrested by the police. It is based on fieldwork in four English locations and builds on the earlier research - Drugs and Crime: the Results of Research on Drug Testing and Interviewing Arrestees (Bennett, 1998). 2000

US Government

1. Drug - Related Crime
   This fact sheet is about the contribution of drug-related offenses to the US crime problem.  It is from the ONDCP Website. 2000
2. US Department of Justice: Drugs & Crime Facts

Back to top