Drug-related offenses and the structure of communities in rural Australia.
This article examines the relationship of drug use with the social and economic characteristics of rural communities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Data is derived from the 1996 Australian Census of Population and Housing, and data on drug-related offenses from the NSW police between 1995 and 1999. Arrest rates for breaking and entering, assault, and vandalism showed statistically significant associations across types of rural communities, but drug-related arrests varied considerably less. The widespread, relatively-even distribution of drug arrests in rural NSW suggests that the underlying causes of drug-related violations are unique when compared to other types of crime.
Department of Human and Community Resource Development, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. donnermeyer.1@osu.edu
Joseph F
JF
Donnermeyer
Elaine M
EM
Barclay
Patrick C
PC
Jobes
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*