NCJ Number
183400
Date Published
2000
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This report provides data on the personal and family characteristics, drug abuse, and criminal histories of all 1,776 persons admitted to Hong Kong’s compulsory drug treatment program during 1998.
Abstract
The information came from personal interviews completed on admission to the Drug Addiction Treatment Center program operated by the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department under the provisions of a law enacted in 1969. The 1,776 persons admitted to treatment included 1,536 males. Three hundred thirty-two persons were ages 14-20 years. Fifty-five percent of the males and 64 percent of the females admitted were ages 21-34 years. About 88 percent of the young drug addicts and 80 percent of the adults were born in Hong Kong; 9 percent of the young addicts and 16 percent of the adults were born in mainland China. Seventy-nine percent of the young addicts and 58 percent of the adult addicts had received lower secondary education. One-fourth of the adults were ages 18-20 when they first started to use drugs; another 26 percent were ages 21-24 years. Seventy-five percent of the young addicts started abusing drugs between ages 14 and 17 years. Fifty-five percent of the adult male drug addicts and 43 percent of the young male addicts reported affiliations with triads. Ninety-six percent of the adults and 84 percent of the young addicts had been convicted at least once before admission. Tables and figures