Preincarceration Patterns of Drug and Alcohol Use by Jail Inmates

Abstract
Extensive research exists which examines the relationship between the use of alcohol and/or drugs and the commission of crime. However, the debate continues over the causal nature of these linkages. This paper will develop a profile of preincarceration alcohol and drug use from a survey of 5,785 jail inmates. From this profile there will be a discussion concerning the operational and policy implications of having an inmate population with the types of drug and alcohol problems traditionally associated with local jail inmates.