Substance Misuse
Drugs Misuse
Drugs and alcohol substance misuse provide significant cross-overs between crime reduction agencies and health services.
From the research undertaken by the English police and the probation service on those upwards of 50% of those arrested for trigger offences (property crime and robbery) were using Class A drugs (cocaine, heroin etc) prior to their arrest.
The work to tackle substance misuse as a cause of crime is found in the links on this page.The connections between substance misuse and crime and disorder are clearly in UK government policy and found in both legislation such as the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006and alcohol and drug misuse initiatives.
The overall use of any drug is at its lowest level since the BCS started measurement in 1996 (9.3% of 16 to 59 year olds). This is mainly due to declines in the use of cannabis (the most prevalent drug) since 2003/04.
Cannabis remains the type of drug most likely to be used with 7.4% having used it in the last year. Among 16 to 24 year olds, the use of illicit drugs in the last year (21.3%) is at its lowest level since 1996; this is also true of the overall prevalence of Class A drug use (6.8%). Since 1996, cannabis use, in the last year, has decreased from 26.0% to 17.9% for 16 to 24 year olds. Ecstasy, hallucinogen, and amphetamine use has also fallen whilst cocaine use has increased (reflecting large increases in cocaine powder use between 1996 and 2000).
Alcohol Misuse and Crime
Alcohol misuse is a significant problem in the UK. According to a report
of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, in an analysis of data drawn from
41 probation areas between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005, the Offender
Assessment System Data Evaluation and Analysis Team found that:
- over one-third (37%) of offenders had a current problem with alcohol use
- a similar proportion (37%) had a problem with binge drinking
- nearly half (47%) had misused alcohol in the past
- 32% had violent behaviour related to their alcohol use
- 38% were found to have a criminogenic need relating to alcohol misuse, potentially linked to their risk of reconviction
Research
has found that alcohol had been consumed prior to the offence in nearly
three-quarters (73%) of domestic violence cases and was a ‘feature’ in
almost two-thirds (62%).
Almost half (48%) of these convicted domestic violence offenders were alcohol dependent.
In 2004, the government indicated that damage to health, crime and disorder, and loss of work productivity costs around £20 billion per year in England and Wales.
Some common harms caused by alcohol include:
In 2004, the government indicated that damage to health, crime and disorder, and loss of work productivity costs around £20 billion per year in England and Wales.
Some common harms caused by alcohol include:
- health harms to the individual
- close links to crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, and other crime types such as domestic and sexual violence and drink driving
- loss of workplace productivity
- social harms, including problems within families, young people and communities
UK Government Alcohol Abuse Campaign
The Safe, Sensible and Social guide Young People, Alcohol and Positive Activities was published in 2010 by the UK government and aims to give those working with young people practical advice and tools to enable them – and those they work with – to be equipped to deal with these issues.
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Drug & Alcohol Organisation Links
Alcohol
Alcohol Concern
The website of the national agency on alcohol misuse in England and Wales.
Alcohol misuse : Department of Health - Policy and guidance
Web pages detailing the Department of Health responsiblities for all policy addressing the problem of alcohol misuse.
Drugs
National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA)
Website of this specialist Health Authority established by the IK government to increase the capacity and effectiveness of drug treatment in England.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)
The mission of the EMCDDA is to provide the Community and its Member States with objective, reliable and comparable information at European level concerning drugs and drug addiction and their consequences.
LDAPF assists supports and advises policy makers in London on drugs issues.
London Drug and Alcohol Network
This forum is aimed at those working with young people in drug and alcohol services.
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Drug and Alcohol Policy Research & Practice Links
Alcohol
Alcohol Misuse Interventions
UK Department of Health guidance on developing a local programme of improvement Practical steps to improve screening and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful drinkers .
UK Department of Health web page with links to a range of publications dealing with alcohol misuse.
Drugs
This
document is designed to provide guidance on the installation and
management of drug amnesty boxes (sometimes called drug amnesty bins).
It is based on the assumption that the night-time economy is most
effectively and safely managed when club owners/managers/event
organisers work in partnership with local police and licensing
authorities.
The number of khat users in Europe appears to be growing, yet the scale and nature of the problem is poorly understood’. This is according to a new publication on the subject released by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). ‘Khat use in Europe: implications for European policy’ is published in the EMCDDA’s policy briefing series Drugs in Focus
Drug Misuse Psycholgical interventions
This is a link to the the national health care needs assessment on drug misuse funded by the UK Department of Health/National Institute of Clinical Excellence.
Street policing of problem drug users
This Joseph Rowntree Foundation study considers the nature and outcomes of problem drug users’ routine interactions with police.
Cannabis supply and young people
This Joseph Rowtree Foundation summary gives an up to date snapshot of how young people obtain cannabis in a large city and a rural village.
The report of the Royal Society of Arts commission on illegal drugs published in March 2007 proposing the liberlisation of drugs laws and the more comprehensive treatment of those that misuse drugs.
Drug Intervention Programme Research:
A short research paper, published by the UK Home Office, which examines the way that the DIP engages and directs Class A drug misusers from the point of arrest or charge to the point of treatment, and examines their offending levels before and after identification by DIP. The report identifies some significant programme successes.
Drug Misuse Information Scotland
Home page of the Drug Misuse Information Scotland website.
This guide promotes best practice for all those working in the night-time economy, particularly licensing authorities, police and fire officers, venue managers / promoters and health promotion workers. Its purpose is to help ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in, and going out to, events in pubs and clubs with particular emphasis on those who also take drugs.
Updated October 2011