Blunkett launches alcohol testing pilot
The Home Secretary has said that an existing scheme to test offenders for Class A drugs will be extended, on a pilot basis, to cover alcohol abuse.
Currently the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme (CJIP) attempts to break the link between crime and drug abuse by testing offenders on arrest and referring them to addiction treatment centres.
In two pilot areas the scheme will be extended to those who also abuse alcohol, they will then be referred for multiple dependency treatment.
David Blunkett told Turning Point’s conference on “Drugs and Crime” that: “We want to turn around the lives of these individuals as well as their communities.
“We need to focus our efforts more effectively on key individuals committing the most offences, given the changing pattern of crime in our society. The key to reducing crime still further is to focus more intensively on the individuals whose addiction to drugs and drink leads them to commit offences.”
He suggested that young offenders with drug problems could be given the choice to undergo treatment for their addiction rather than face a prison sentence, saying: “If we’re prepared to send people to prison . should we actually make treatment an alternative to putting them behind bars?”
He also raised the possibility of not granting young offenders bail if they refused treatment.
Although he was quick to say that he was “not putting this forward as policy”, the Home Secretary indicated that he hoped to examine policies of this nature during the next few years, assuming a Labour victory in the next election.
Mr Blunkett accepted a report from Turning Point, which found that in some areas addicts were seeking arrest because they knew that they could then access drug treatment.
It was a “crazy world” where people could get treatment while in prison, but no longer had access to it once they were released, Mr Blunkett said.
Mr Blunkett also emphasised the importance of dealing quickly with drug addiction, saying it was essential that users’ first contact with Government services led to a rapid referral and an immediate response.
That way, addicts would not be able to drift back into a drug-using culture.
Government figures suggest that around half of all violent crime is alcohol related.
This summer will also see a police crack down on alcohol related violence in city centres as well as a six week blitz targeting those who sell alcohol to underage drinkers.
