Drug Usage and Obtainment by Geographic Area

ADAM also collects information on where arrestees live in the form of their zip code.  Thus, we were able to analyze data collected through the ADAM interview and examine it geographically.  This section presents urinalysis results and whether or not arrestees bought drugs in their neighborhood by zip code.  This data is presented in five maps each for Maricopa and Pima Counties.  Male and female data from 2000 and 2001 were combined.  In each map, results are only presented for those zip codes that were represented by at least 15 arrestees.  The actual numbers for each zip code are presented in Table 6 following the maps.

Maricopa County

Figure 1 presents the percent of arrestees testing positive for marijuana in each zip code.  It is immediately apparent that few patterns exist in marijuana usage by zip code.  That is, marijuana was used by arrestees from throughout the Valley.  Figure 2 presents the percent of positive cocaine tests by zip codes.  It is clear that cocaine usage (either crack or powder) was highest in south Phoenix and Tempe zip codes.  Methamphetamine use, as shown in Figure 3, displays the opposite pattern as cocaine.  Arrestees residing in central Phoenix and Tempe zip codes had the lowest levels of methamphetamine use.  Northern, northwestern, and east valley residents had the highest levels of methamphetamine use.  Figure 4 displays the percent of positive opiates tests and suggests that use may be lower in the east and northwest valley.

Figure 5 presents the percentage of arrestees who reported buying any drug in their own neighborhood.  This can provide some insight into where drug transactions take place.  Zip codes with the highest percent of cases were in central and northern Phoenix, with surrounding zip codes somewhat lower.  The lowest percentage of arrestees who reported buying drugs in their neighborhood were in zip codes in the far north Phoenix, and the east and  northwest valley.

Pima County

Figures 6 through 9 present positive urinalysis results of arrestees residing in Pima County zip codes.  Marijuana usage was highest among arrestees living in South Tucson and central Tucson.  Northern and eastern zip codes had lower levels of use among arrestees.  Cocaine usage among arrestees was highest in northwest, southeast, and central Tucson.  Similar to marijuana, arrestees from the northern and eastern zip codes had lower levels of cocaine use.  Methamphetamine use among arrestees followed a different pattern than marijuana and cocaine.  Arrestees from northern and eastern Pima County zip codes had the highest levels of use while usage by arrestees from southern Tucson zip codes were among the lowest.  Finally, opiates usage was quite centralized in Pima County.  Arrestees living in central Tucson and just to the northwest had higher levels of opiates usage than elsewhere in Tucson.

Figure 10 presents the residential zip codes of arrestees who reported buying drugs in their neighborhood in the past 30 days.  Arrestees living in Downtown Tucson, just east of downtown and just east of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base were the most likely to report purchasing drugs in their neighborhood .  The lowest percentage of arrestees purchasing drugs in their own neighborhood were in northern and eastern Tucson and in South Tucson. 

Table 6: Percent of Arrestees Testing Positive for Drug Use and Purchasing Drug in Own Neighborhood by Residential Zip Code

NOTE: Zip codes not listed did not produce enough arrestees to allow for reliable estimates.

NOTE: Zip codes not listed did not produce enough arrestees to allow for reliable estimates.

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