Many people use amphetamine type substances to experience a ‘high’, despite the drug’s capacity to produce physical and mental damage, and its illegality. Amphetamines are psychoactive drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, bringing about an increase in heart rate and blood flow throughout the body. The drug’s use has been implicated in unpredictable, erratic and criminal behaviour. The current study seeks to explore the social profile and amphetamine use of detainees at the Lock-Up, in Perth, Western Australia, between the years 1999 and 2006. The study analysed data sourced from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s project known as Drug Use Monitoring Australia (DUMA). This government-funded initiative was designed to obtain a snap shot of Australian detainees’ profiles and drug using habits at various detaining centres throughout the country. The DUMA programme requires detainees to complete a voluntary and confidential survey, and a urinalysis. The survey incorporated questions pertaining to the detainees’ personal history, their drug using behaviour and weapons use. A trained volunteer distributed and collected the survey responses at the major sites. The data were statistically manipulated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were employed to identify any changes in the profile of amphetamine users over the eight-year period. The results suggest a significant increase in amphetamine use among detainees between the years 1999 and 2006, with use spiking in 2002. A socio-demographic profile of drug using detainees emerged. The profile suggests male and females who had completed a low level of secondary school, were single and not employed full time were more likely to be amphetamine using detainees in Western Australia.