Minister visits substance misuse project as government launches drugs strategy
27 February 2008
Justice Minister David Hanson has given his full support to the government's drugs strategy during a visit to London Probation's Substance Misuse and Prolific Offender Team in Islington.
Around half of all offenders have a drug misuse problem, and they represent about one third of all problematic drug users in England and Wales. Contact with these offenders presents the prison and probation services with the challenge and opportunity to address their drug misuse and reduce their offending.
David Hanson said,
'The government is committed to protecting communities through robust enforcement action to tackle drug supply, drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour. We aim to deliver new approaches to drug treatment and social reintegration.
'For prison and probation services, the focus remains on reducing drug-related offending but we can and will play a role in taking forward all objectives of the drug strategy. We are looking to maximise the impact of prison and community sentences to reduce drug misuse and its related harms.
'Drug rehabilitation requirements which are given by the courts as part of a community order can effectively address offenders' behaviour and get right to the heart of the offending. They aim to change patterns of behaviour in often chaotic lifestyles. The National Probation Service has become more effective and in 2006-07 they had their best performance year with the highest ever rates of enforcement, record numbers of offenders completed accredited programmes and more offenders starting and completed drug rehabilitation than in any previous year. Tough and effective community sentences show lower levels of reoffending than short custodial sentences.
'It is of course vital we ensure prison is reserved for serious and dangerous offenders. Since 1996, drug use has fallen 64% in prisons, as shown by our mandatory drug testing regime, but we are not complacent and will look to reduce this further. We maintain robust and effective measures to stop drugs getting into prisons, including rigorous searching, passive and active drug dogs, mobile phone detectors, CCTV, and visitor biometric systems. We work with police to target serious criminals outside prison who are involved in supply.'
The new drugs strategy contains details on how the government will be taking forward actions to tackle substance misuse in our communities. It aims to protect communities, prevent harm to children, young people and families affected by substance misuse, deliver new approaches to drug treatment and social reintegration and provide public information campaigns, communications and community engagement.
Notes to editors
1. London Probation is the largest of the 42 probation areas in England and Wales, with over 3,000 staff and 100 offices.
2. London Probation deals with over 60,000 offenders a year and a caseload of 45,000 offenders at any one time.
3. The Islington Serious Substance Misuse Unit is responsible for managing offenders residing in Islington who are on community orders with drug rehabilitation requirements. The team manages approximately 130 new community orders per year.
This financial year the unit has achieved 53 successful completions of orders (163% of the target). Islington has one of the largest serious substance misuse caseload in London. There is a high retention rate at 12 weeks.
4. For a copy of the drugs strategy please contact the Home Office press office on 020 7035 3535.
5. For more information on the Justice Minister's visit please contact Ministry of Justice press office on 020 7210 8668.
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