title: Substance-use disorders and psychological distress among police arrestees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the 12-month prevalence of substance-use disorders and psychological morbidity in an Australian arrestee population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  288 police arrestees at the Brisbane City Police Watch House in February and March 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of drug and alcohol disorders; psychological "caseness" according to the 28-item General Health Questionnaire; demographics and index offences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  86% of the arrestees had at least one substance-use disorder; most had multiple disorders. More than 80% were substance dependent. The predominant substances used were amphetamines, marijuana, opioids and alcohol. 82% of the men and 94% of the women were suffering significant psychological distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Development of services for detoxification and treatment of this population is a pressing need. The findings provide crucial information for the planning and implementation of drug courts and court diversion systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal Bribane Hospital, QLD. edward.heffernan@dhs.vic.gov.au
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Heffernan
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*