This study was carried out among prisoners from three committal institutions in Dublin during 1981 - Mountjoy Male Prison, Mountjoy Female Prison and St Patrick's Institution for Young Offenders. Prisoners who had been identified on committal as drug users by the Prison Medical Service were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Drug use was the focus of the questionnaire. In the male prison, 22 respondents were interviewed, aged between 19 and 32 years. Basic biographical information was collected, including place of residence, marital status, educational level, employment and criminal history.

The majority were found to come from disadvantaged areas and to have low levels of educational achievement. Just under 50% said their drug use had begun when they were 16 or 17 years of age. All 22 had used a variety of drugs, 16 being opiate users, and the rest using LSD and barbiturates. Intravenous drug use was the general route of administration among opiate users. In St Patrick's, nine youths were surveyed, all of whom had been identified as having a drug addiction. All were from working-class inner-city areas and had low levels of educational achievement. Drugs of misuse included heroin, cocaine, LSD and morphine, with injecting again being the most common route of administration. In the female prison, three respondents were interviewed. All were from working-class inner-city areas and had low levels of educational achievement. All three were opiate users and had used a wide range of other drugs.