Methamphetamine Use Among Adult Arrestees: Findings the DUF Program        .
Series: NIJ Research in Brief
Published: November 1996
12 pages
18,403 bytes

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
National Institute of Justice

Jeremy Travis, Director
November 1996

National Institute of Justice
Research in Brief

Methamphetamine Use Among Adult Arrestees: Findings
from the Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) Program

by Thomas E. Feucht, Ph.D., and Gabrielle M. Kyle

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Issues and Findings

Discussed in this Brief: Trends in methamphetamine
use, based on data from the Drug Use Forecasting
(DUF) program of the National Institute of Justice
(NIJ). In the DUF program, arrestees in 23 major
cities across the country are tested on a regular
basis for evidence of recent use of several drugs,
including methamphetamine.

Key Issues: DUF data have demonstrated that more
than half of all adults arrested and booked in the
23 sites for serious crimes tested positive for use
of drugs. In the past few years, methamphetamine
appears to have become a significant presence in
many communities across the country, though its
prevalence seems highest in the West and Southwest.
DUF data were obtained from EMIT (trademark) and
gas chromatography urinalysis techniques and
examined for trends in methamphetamine use among
adult arrestees.

Key Findings: Highest rates of methamphetamine use
were found among arrestees in far Western and
Southwestern cities, though the data suggest some
expansion into the Midwest. White arrestees are
much more likely than black or Hispanic arrestees
to test positive for methamphetamine; female
arrestees are more likely than male arrestees to
test positive. 

Target Audience: Drug enforcement and drug
treatment practitioners; individuals responsible
for coordinating drug policy at the local and
national level.

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The apparent increase in the production,
distribution, and use of methamphetamine is a
matter of growing concern. A powerful central
nervous system (CNS) stimulant, the drug is
relatively easy to manufacture, and the required
precursor drugs[1] (such as ephedrine or
pseudoephedrine), widely available in Mexico, are
believed to be smuggled into the United States in
substantial quantities. The process of producing
methamphetamine results in a host of toxic and
corrosive substances. For this reason, seizing
clandestine methamphetamine laboratories poses
grave risks to law enforcement personnel.

Historically, methamphetamine production and
distribution have been associated with motorcycle
gangs. Recently, Mexican drug gangs have increased
their share of the U.S. wholesale methamphetamine
market. This is consistent with most reports that
place the bulk of increased methamphetamine use in
the Southwest. Concern continues to grow, however,
that the increased number of seizures of
clandestine operations and methamphetamine-related
fatalities in other parts of the country might
signal an impending methamphetamine pandemic.

Focus of analysis: the eight high-rate sites 

The 1995 DUF data were analyzed to determine the
extent of methamphetamine use among adult male and
female arrestees. (See "Testing for Methamphetamine
Use" for a discussion of how evidence of
methamphetamine use is detected in urine specimens
collected in the DUF program.) Overall,
approximately 6 percent of all adult arrestees from
the 23 DUF sites tested positive for
methamphetamine, 41 percent for cocaine, 28 percent
for marijuana, 8 percent for opiates, and about 2
percent for PCP.

While overall the prevalence of methamphetamine use
is modest, there is considerable variation from
site to site. Eight sites (San Diego, Phoenix, San
Jose, Portland, Omaha, Los Angeles, Denver, and
Dallas) reported significant rates of
methamphetamine use among arrestees in 1995. Other
sites reported rates among arrestees at or near
zero. 

Details of the analysis

o Methamphetamine rates are highest in western and
southwestern DUF sites.

Methamphetamine appears prominently in drug use
patterns at the eight sites. Its use rivals or
surpasses that of cocaine, marijuana, and opiates
at some of these sites, particularly San Diego,
Phoenix, and San Jose.

o Rates are typically higher among female
arrestees.

Among arrestees age 21 to 35 -- the age groups with
the highest use rates -- females are more likely
than males to test positive for methamphetamine.
The peak age of use among adult male arrestees is
26 to 30; among adult female arrestees, it is 21 to
25.

Analysis by gender and charge at arrest shows
higher rates of methamphetamine use among female
arrestees in each offense category. Among females
arrested for violent offenses, 11 percent tested
positive for methamphetamine compared to 10 percent
among male arrestees. Similarly, among people
arrested for drug offenses or "other" offenses (a
category that includes all property offenses),
females were more likely than males to test
positive for methamphetamine. (The number of male
prostitution arrestees is too small to make
statistical comparisons.)

o Use among white arrestees far exceeds that among
black or Hispanic arrestees.

In the eight sites with the highest methamphetamine
rates, white arrestees were much more likely than
others to test positive for methamphetamine use: 26
percent of white male arrestees and 28 percent of
white female arrestees tested positive for the
drug, compared to 3 percent among both black male
and black female arrestees. Eleven percent of
Hispanic male arrestees and 15 percent of Hispanic
female arrestees tested positive.

o Few arrestees test positive for both
methamphetamine and cocaine. 

DUF data have consistently demonstrated high rates
of cocaine use by arrestees. (Cocaine, another CNS
stimulant, is commonly used in a smokable form
known as crack cocaine but can also be injected or
taken intranasally. Urinalysis cannot distinguish
among these routes of administration, however.) At
the eight sites, 33 percent of adult arrestees
tested positive for cocaine, and 15 percent tested
positive for methamphetamine. Comparison of 
urinalysis results for the two drugs shows only a 
small proportion of arrestees (2 percent) test 
positive for both. 

o Five-year trend data indicate increasing use of
methamphetamine. 

Trend data from 1991 through 1995 in the eight
cities show an overall increase in methamphetamine
use among arrestees. While San Diego and Phoenix
continue to report the highest rates, these two
cities showed a slight moderation from 1994 to
1995. At the same time, Omaha reported a sharp
increase in the percentage of arrestees who tested
positive for methamphetamine (from 3 percent in
1994 to 8 percent in 1995).

Discussion

The DUF data offer several key insights into
methamphetamine use, at least as it is manifested
among people entering criminal justice supervision
(i.e., arrestees). First, in this population,
methamphetamine use remains largely a regional
phenomenon, though the most recent data suggest
that sites like Denver, Omaha, and St. Louis could
experience significant increases in use if current
trends continue. 

Some observers caution that since DUF data do not
tap into the wide range of potential users outside
the criminal justice system, the apparent regional
pattern of methamphetamine use may not accurately
reflect use of this drug in the general population.
The degree to which these data can be generalized
to other, noncriminal justice populations is
limited. Nevertheless, it is not clear why
arrestees in western sites should evidence very
high rates compared to those in eastern sites if
there were no significant regional trend in
distribution and use of the drug. Clearly, DUF data
suggest a leading edge of methamphetamine use in
western and southwestern cities; data recently
received from Denver and Omaha indicate that use
may be expanding to the Midwest. 

Second, methamphetamine use among arrestees is
largely confined to white (and to a lesser degree,
Hispanic) arrestees. This pattern contrasts sharply
with that of cocaine, in which rates among black
arrestees are often twice those among white
arrestees.

Third, female arrestees test positive for
methamphetamine at rates higher than those for male
arrestees. It is unclear whether this finding is a
function of law enforcement practices that target
males and females differently, slower
metabolization of the drug by women (and thus an
increased likelihood of testing positive hours
after arriving at the lockup), differential effects
of dosage by virtue of body size, or simply more
widespread use by women.

Ways to approach the problem

Some law enforcement and drug treatment experts
assert that methamphetamine use is not limited to
urban drug users and is widely available in many
smaller, rural communities. This belief is
consistent with intelligence reports that
frequently have found remote rural locations to be
sites for the manufacture and distribution of
methamphetamine. Since the DUF program is in
central-city areas only, the data cannot be used to
test these assertions. NIJ is exploring the
possibility of expanding DUF coverage to arrestees
in rural and suburban communities. Unquestionably,
this would provide more accurate empirical evidence
of the use of methamphetamine and other drugs in
communities throughout the country. 

A heads-up for law enforcement. Given the sharp
rise in methamphetamine rates at the Omaha DUF
site, the potential for increased use throughout
the Midwest (and, ultimately, other areas of the
country) cannot be ignored. Law enforcement
agencies should remain alert to the potential for
increased availability and use of methamphetamine,
and treatment providers should have at hand
strategies that anticipate a significant increase
in methamphetamine referrals, especially from the
criminal justice system. (See "Some Street Names
for Methamphetamine.") 

Pilot programs. A useful approach to developing
such a strategy might be to create a demonstration
program for methamphetamine-involved offenders in
one or more jurisdictions that have significant
numbers of methamphetamine users. NIJ has begun to
explore the feasibility of a demonstration project
that would test drug treatment protocols designed
specifically for people in the criminal justice
system who are involved with methamphetamine.
Drawing on the expertise of drug treatment
professionals, NIJ hopes to facilitate the
advancement of treatment approaches that can meet
the challenge posed by methamphetamine and that
could be integrated into the criminal justice
system as it confronts the continuing challenges of
drugs and crime.

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Testing for Methamphetamine Use

Although the term "amphetamine" designates the
specific substance phenylisopropylamine, it
commonly refers to a class of related central
nervous system (CNS) stimulants, including
dextroamphetamine and methamphetamine. While they
were once frequently prescribed as a general
stimulant and appetite suppressant, amphetamines
were placed among Schedule II drugs in 1971.
(Schedule II drugs are those that have some medical
uses but also present significant potential for
abuse.) 

EMIT (trademark), an immunoassay screening test,
cannot reliably distinguish amphetamines from
several over-the-counter medications --
particularly some antihistamines -- because of
similarities in their chemical structures.
Consequently, all DUF specimens identified by EMIT
(trademark) as presumptive positive for 
amphetamines are further analyzed by gas 
chromatography. This confirmatory procedure 
identifies with a high degree of accuracy the specific 
CNS stimulant used. The data reported here are 
based on gas chromatography results. 

High rates of methamphetamine use (as opposed to
use of other amphetamines) among arrestees are no
doubt due in part to the relative ease with which
this particular amphetamine can be illegally
manufactured.

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Some Street Names for Methamphetamine[2]

o Crank*

o Cryptol

o Crystal*

o Crystal meth

o Meth

o Quill

o Speed* 

o Tweek (a methamphetamine-like substance)

o White cross*

o Yellow bam

Some smokable forms 

o Cristy

o Hanyak

o Ice

o L.A. glass

o Quartz

* Amphetamine or methamphetamine

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About NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) Program

The DUF program is a measurement system established
in 1987 by NIJ to test booked arrestees for illicit
drug use. On a quarterly basis, through anonymous,
voluntary interviews and urinalysis, data are
collected from adult and juvenile booked arrestees
in central lockups in 23 cities across the country.
Urinalysis can reveal evidence of recent use of any
of 10 illicit substances, including opiates,
cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Response
rates are consistently high: more than 90 percent
of arrestees agree to the interview, and over 80
percent of these agree to provide a urine specimen.
The resultant data are analyzed to furnish
estimates of recent drug use in this high-risk
subgroup. 

DUF data play a key role in helping policymakers,
law enforcement professionals, and citizens better
understand the Nation's drug problem. The findings
are published in the DUF annual report. The most
recent annual report is 1995 Drug Use Forecasting:
Annual Report on Adult and Juvenile Arrestees,
Research Report, U.S. Department of Justice,
National Institute of Justice, June 1996. (NCJ
161721).

The data collected in the DUF program are archived
at the Interuniversity Consortium for Political and
Social Research, University of Michigan, and are
available for use by qualified researchers.
Information may be obtained from the ICPSR by
calling 800-999-0690 or 313-763-5011.

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Thomas E. Feucht, Ph.D., is Director of the NIJ
Drug Use Forecasting program. Gabrielle M. Kyle is
a social science analyst at NIJ. Data analysis was
conducted as part of NIJ's Intramural Research
Program.

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Notes

[1] A precursor drug is one that is necessary in the
manufacture of another. Precursor drugs are usually
legal but controlled substances. 

[2] For a more complete list of street names for
methamphetamine and other drugs, see Street Terms:
Drugs and the Drug Trade, Drugs & Crime Data,
Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drugs &
Crime Clearinghouse, February 1995. (NCJ 151622).
Copies can be obtained from the Clearinghouse by
calling 800-666-3332.

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Recent NIJ Publications on Drug Abuse and Crime

Listed below are some recent NIJ publications
related to issues of illicit drug use. These
publications are free, except as indicated, and can
be obtained from the National Criminal Justice
Reference Service (NCJRS): telephone 800-851-3420,
e-mail askncjrs@ncjrs.org, or write NCJRS, Box
6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000.

These documents also can be downloaded through the
NCJRS Bulletin Board System or at the NCJRS
Anonymous FTP site in ASCII or graphic formats.
They can be viewed online at the Justice Information 
Center World Wide Web site. Call NCJRS for more 
information.

Please do note that when free printed publications
are out of stock, they are available as photocopies
or through interlibrary loan.

1995 Drug Use Forecasting: Annual Report on Adult
and Juvenile Arrestees, NIJ Research Report, 1996,
NCJ 161721.

Blumstein, Alfred, Ph.D., Youth Violence, Guns, and
Illicit Drug Markets, VHS videotape, 1995, NCJ
152235, U.S. $19, Canada and other foreign
countries $24. Also a brief summary is available at
no cost. Ask for FS000129. 

Case Management with Drug-Involved Arrestees, NIJ
Research Preview, 1996, FS000098.

Chaiken, Marcia R., The Rise of Crack and Ice:
Experiences in Three Locales, NIJ Research in
Brief, 1993, NCJ 139559.

Finn, Peter, The Manhattan District Attorney's
Narcotics Eviction Program, NIJ Program Focus,
1995, NCJ 153146.

Harrell, Adele, William Adams, and Caterina Gouvis,
Impact of Systemwide Drug Testing in Multnomah
County, NIJ Update, 1995, FS000083.

Inciardi, James A., Ph.D., A Corrections-Based
Continuum of Effective Drug Abuse Treatment, VHS
videotape, 1995, NCJ 152692, U.S. $19, Canada and
other foreign countries $24. Also a brief summary
is available at no cost. Ask for FS000145.

Ireland, Timothy, and Cathy Spatz Widom, Childhood
Victimization and Risk for Alcohol and Drug
Arrests, NIJ Research Preview, 1995, FS000108.

Lipton, Douglas L., The Effectiveness of Treatment
for Drug Abusers under Criminal Justice
Supervision, NIJ Research Report, 1995, NCJ 157642.

Tunis, Sandra, et al., Evaluation of Drug Treatment
in Local Corrections, Research Report, 1996, NCJ
159313.

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Correction Notice

In the 1995 Drug Use Forecasting Annual Report on
Adult and Juvenile Arrestees, published by the
National Institute of Justice in June 1996, the
data on the front and back covers represent
combined adult and juvenile arrestees'
methamphetamine use. Accordingly, the same data
presented in figure 1 of the DUF Annual Report
(page 12) also represent combined adult and
juvenile arrestee use. The data in figures 2 and 3
(page 13), also illustrating arrestee
methamphetamine use, reflect adults only.

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Points of view in this document do not necessarily
represent the official position or policies of the
U.S. Department of Justice.

The National Institute of Justice is a component of
the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes
the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims
of Crime.

NCJ 161842