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New AIC Publication: Methamphetamine dependence and domestic violence among police detainees

Methamphetamine dependence and domestic violence among police detainees


The Australian Institute of Criminology has released a new paper exploring the relationship between methamphetamine dependence and domestic violence.

  • The study used data from interviews with 351 male police detainees who had a current or former intimate partner in the last 12 months. These interviews were conducted as part of the AIC’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program.
  • Thirty-seven percent of detainees reported perpetrating at least one act of domestic violence in the previous 12 months—twenty-five percent had threatened violence and/or property damage, 23 percent had been psychologically or emotionally abusive, 17 percent had been physically violent and 15 percent reported controlling behaviour.
  • Nearly two-thirds of methamphetamine dependent detainees reported that they had been abusive towards a current or former partner in the previous 12 months.
  • Detainees who were dependent on methamphetamine were significantly more likely to have been violent towards an intimate partner than detainees who used methamphetamine but were not dependent, controlling for other factors.
  • Similar patterns were observed for detainees who reported cannabis dependence.
  • Attitudes minimising the impact of violence were also associated with an increased likelihood of domestic violence.
  • The results are particularly significant given the rise in methamphetamine use and dependence among police detainees since this research was conducted. In 2018, more than half of all detainees reported using methamphetamine in the previous 12 months, and around half of these detainees felt they needed or were dependent on methamphetamine.

This study builds on previous AIC research exploring the link between methamphetamine and domestic violence. The results illustrate the importance of integrated responses that address the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and domestic violence among criminal justice populations.


The paper is available for free download on the AIC website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi588


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