Search

Foreword | Although mental illness is widely recognised as a problem in modern society, it presents particular challenges for the criminal justice system. Research has shown that offenders have higher rates of mental illness than the general community. The Criminology Research Council commissioned a study to assess the level of screening and the instruments used across the jurisdictions by criminal justice agencies.

Key findings

• Recent data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program shows an increase in the use of methamphetamine among police detainees.
• Voluntary urinalysis undertaken by detainees shows that in the first three-quarters of 2011, 21 percent of police detainees tested positive to methamphetamine—up from 16 percent in 2010 and 13 percent in 2009.

This publication was the official journal of the Australian Institute of Criminology.

Vol. 1 No. 1 1989 - Vol. 7 No. 3 1996

The following documents are available only in PDF format.

An important shortcoming in the statistics released with the opening of the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) concerns the levels of drug offending in Australia. Law enforcement initiatives form an important part of the campaign and it is vital that the public, policy makers and law enforcement agencies have a comprehensive picture of drug law enforcement measures. This is particularly important because enforcement statistics are often used in a biased and unscientific manner to illustrate particular points of view in the drugs debate.

On 1 November 2022, 9 projects were recognised for their contribution to the prevention of crime and violence in Australian communities.

The winners were presented with their awards at a ceremony in Canberra by the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury.

On 26 November 2019, 13 projects were recognised at an award ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.

Foreword | Responding to juvenile offending is a unique policy and practice challenge. While a substantial proportion of crime is perpetuated by juveniles, most juveniles will ‘grow out’ of offending and adopt law-abiding lifestyles as they mature. This paper outlines the factors (biological, psychological and social) that make juvenile offenders different from adult offenders and that necessitate unique responses to juvenile crime.

In 2019, 78 percent (n=676) of detainees tested positive to at least one type of drug, and 44 percent (n=382) tested positive to more than one drug type. Methamphetamine had the highest test positive rate of any drug (51%, n=444), and was also described as the most readily available.

Drug use monitoring in Australia: Drug use among police detainees, 2019

"The report from a National Workshop held at the Crowne Plaza, Alice Springs, 29-30 August 2007".