Correlates of underreporting recent drug use by female arrestees

Much of the research literature on the validity of self-reported drug use, primarily drawn from studies of males in criminal justice and drug treatmen t populations, has focused on whether subjects positive for drug use by an objective measure such as urinalysis actually report recent drug use. Few s tudies have investigated correlates of underreporting in these populations. Using a sample of 437 female arrestees, we examined correlates of underrep orting previously identified in the research literature. Findings suggest t hat female arrestees without prior treatment experience or charged with a n ondrug offense were less likely to report recent cocaine use than their cou nterparts who had previously been in treatment or were charged with a drug offense. These correlates did not apply to recent heroin use. Some support was found for race as a correlate of underreporting. implications of the fi ndings for the measurement of drug use in arrestees are discussed.