INMATE RESPONSES INDICATE THAT 7 OUT OF 10 INMATES (68 PERCENT) HAD USED DRUGS SUCH AS HEROIN, METHADONE, COCAINE, MARIJUANA, AMPHETAMINES, BARBITURATES, AND HALLUCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES, OUTSIDE A TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION. APPROXIMATELY ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR INMATES IN LOCAL JAILS HAD USED HEROIN, WHILE 7 PERCENT HAD USED METHADONE, 29 PERCENT HAD USED COCAINE, 66 PERCENT HAD USED MARIJUANA, 31 PERCENT HAD USED AMPHETAMINES, 30 PERCENT HAD USED BARBITURATES, 21 PERCENT HAD USED LSD, AND 16 PERCENT HAD TRIED PCP. OFFENSES COMMITTED BY A RELATIVELY LARGE PROPORTION OF INMATES WHO STATED THEY HAD USED DRUGS INCLUDED ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AUTO THEFT, LARCENY, AND DRUG OFFENSES. OFFENSES COMMITTED BY RELATIVELY SMALLER PROPORTIONS OF INMATES WHO HAD USED DRUGS INCLUDED MURDER/MANSLAUGHTER, SEX ASSAULT, AND PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES, INCLUDING TRAFFIC OFFENSES, DRUNKENNESS, VAGRANCY, AND VICE. DURING THE MONTH PRIOR TO ADMISSION TO JAIL, 44 PERCENT OF ALL INMATES STATED THEY HAD USED AT LEAST ONE OF THESE DRUGS. OF CONVICTED INMATES WHO HAD EVER USED DRUGS, 31 PERCENT STATED THEY WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AT THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE CONVICTED. OVER 4 IN 10 CONVICTED, DRUG-USING INMATES IN JAIL FOR ROBBERY STATED THEY WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AT THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE CONVICTED. OVER ONE-THIRD OF CONVICTED, DRUG-USING INMATES IN JAIL FOR BURGLARY STATED THEY WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AT THIS TIME. FURTHERMORE, ONLY 6 PERCENT OF THE INMATES WHO HAD EVER USED DRUGS STATED THEY WERE IN DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT AT THE TIME WHEN FIRST ADMITTED TO JAIL, ALTHOUGH 21 PERCENT STATED THEY HAD A PRIOR TREATMENT ENROLLMENT. AN APPENDIX RECORDS FINDINGS ON USE OF DRUGS BY RACE AND BY MOST SERIOUS OFFENSE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ALTHOUGH INMATES IN LOCAL JAILS IN THE U.S. IN FEBRUARY 1978 COULD BE CONSIDERED A DRUG-USING POPULATION, THE TYPE OF DRUG USED, THE EXTENT, AND THE INTENSITY OF USE VARIED BY RACE AND BY TYPE OF OFFENSE. TABLES ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH DRUG ITEMS ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)