Ethnic Group Differences in Drug Misuse Among Arrestees in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, the addiction literature has focused on white drug users and less attention has been given to users from ethnic minority groups. More recently, research investigating ethnic group differences in drug use and associated problem behaviors has emerged. This paper contributes to the growing research base by drawing on data collected from structured interviews with 4,631 arrestees conducted as part of the New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (1999–2002) program. Clear ethnic group differences in drug use are identified. Arrestees who were white and of mixed race were found to be more serious drug users and to experience more associated problems than arrestees from other ethnic minority groups. The research and policy implications of the research are discussed and the study's limitations are noted.

KEYWORDS:

• Arrestees
• crime
• criminal behavior
• dependence
• drug treatment
• drug use
• ethnic minorities
• ethnicity
• race
• substance misuse

The authors thank the arrestees who agreed to be interviewed, the fieldwork researchers, and the 16 police forces involved in the NEW-ADAM research. In addition, they would like to acknowledge the UK Home Office, which funded this research. The opinions expressed in the paper, however, might not be the official view of the Home Office and need not reflect Home Office policy.

Notes

^a Includes all arrestees (N = 4,645). Fourteen arrestees did not provide information about their ethnic group.

^a The sixty-nine arrestees who described themselves as being from other unspecified ethnic group were excluded from this analysis. An additional fourteen arrestees did not provide information about their ethnic group.

^b Includes arrestees who defined themselves as black, Asian or mixed race.

NS = not significant. Some missing cases.

^a Among all white, black, Asian and mixed race arrestees who were interviewed (N = 4,562).

^b Significance of difference between white and non-white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.

NS = not significant; HCC = heroine and/or crack and/or cocaine.

^a Among all white, black, Asian and mixed race arrestees who provided a urine specimen (n = 4,194).

^b Significance of difference between white and non-white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees. Chi squared test.∗∗∗p < .001. ∗∗p < .01. ∗p < .05.

NS = not significant. Some cases are missing. HCC = heroine and/or crack and/or cocaine.

^a Among all white, black, Asian and mixed race arrestees who were interviewed (N = 4,562).

^b Significance of difference between white and non-white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.

NS = not significant. Some cases are missing.

^a Includes only those arrestees who reported use of the specified drug type in the past thirty days.

^b Significance of difference between white and non-white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.

NS = not significant.

^a Includes all white, black, Asian, and mixed race arrestees (N = 4,562).

^b Includes white, black, Asian, and mixed race arrestees who reported using crack in the past thirty days (n = 937). Some cases are missing.

NS = not significant. Some cases are missing.

^a Includes only those arrestees who reported use of the specified drug type in the past thirty days.

^b Significance of difference between white and non–white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees.

^f Among arrestees who have used one or more of 15 injectable drug types in the past thirty days. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.

NS = not significant. Some cases are missing.

^a Includes only those arrestees who reported use of the specified drug type in the past thirty days.

^b Significance of difference between white and non–white arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^e Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.

NS = not significant. Some cases are missing.

^a Significance of difference between white and non–white arrestees.

^b Significance of difference between white arrestees and black arrestees.

^c Significance of difference between white arrestees and Asian arrestees.

^d Significance of difference between white arrestees and mixed heritage arrestees.

^e Among arrestees who had used any illicit drug in their lifetime.

^f Among arrestees who had used any illicit drug in the past thirty days.

^g Among arrestees who had used any illicit drug in the past thirty days and were not currently receiving treatment. Chi squared test.

∗∗∗p < .001.

∗∗p < .01.

∗p < .05.