Tests of San Diego jail inmates last year indicate more than half of them had illegal drugs in their systems when they were arrested. The annual tests, conducted by SANDAG, are performed randomly on inmates and done with their permission.
They showed that 55 percent of juvenile inmates tested positive for illegal drugs. Among adults, 58 percent of males and 63 percent of females had drugs in their systems.
Marijauana was used the most. Fifty-one percent of juveniles, for instance, tested positive for marijuana. Many inmates tested positive for more than one drug, the most common combination being marijuana and methamphetamine.
One drug has seen its use drop considerably compared to previous years. Many fewer people tested postive for crack and cocaine in 2011, compared to tests done on inmates 11 years ago.
