The number of inmates and prisoners in the United States has more than tripled since 1980. Four out of every five got there with the help of drugs and alcohol, says a report released yesterday by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The report says:

• Of 1.7 million prisoners in 1996, 1.4 million had violated drug or alcohol laws, had been under their influence when they committed their crimes, had stolen to support their habit or had a history of drug or alcohol abuse that led them to commit crimes.

• Of 840,000 prisoners who reportedly needed drug treatment in 1996, fewer than 150,000 received it prior to release.

• Sixty-nine percent of federal prisoners, 76 percent of state prisoners and 70 percent of local jail inmates used drugs at least once a week during the month before they were locked up.

• In state prisons, 81 percent of inmates with five or more convictions have used drugs regularly -- compared to 63 percent who had two prior convictions, and 41 percent who were first time offenders.

The last statistic leads analysts to conclude that drug use fuels recidivism.