Summary
There has been little in-depth research conducted to date in Australia that examines the unique characteristics of women offenders. Using data from the DUMA program and Drug Use Careers of Offenders (DUCO) study, this study investigates the relationship between drug use and crime, illuminating gender differences among three different samples: police detainees (DUMA), prisoners (DUCO) and the Australian population (through the National Drug Strategy Household Survey and census data). It compares female and male police detainees, and as well as female police detainees with female prisoners. Differences in drug use and offending patterns by Indigenous and non-Indigenous female police detainees are also examined.
The results indicated that female detainees were more likely than male ones to attribute their crime to illicit drug use in general, and it seems that the association between drug use and criminal activity is stronger in women than in men. The report underlines how important it is to develop drug-demand and harm-reduction interventions for women through the criminal justice system, with the study revealing that most have poor socioeconomic status, many have dependent children and many have complex and multiple needs related to problematic drug use and mental-health issues, and quite specific strategies and prevention initiatives need to be developed for Indigenous women who have contact with the criminal justice system.