Briefings

Criminal Justice

New research on DIP impact
Home Office (2007)

A new piece of research examines the way that the Drug Interventions Programme (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. 37-page PDF. Summary

Going straight home
NACRO (2006)

A policy briefing on the role of housing in preventing offending.

The impact of mandatory drug testing in prisons
Home Office (January 2005)

The falling levels of positive cannabis tests is a robust indicator of falling levels of cannabis use in prison. Levels of positive tests for opiates have remained unchanged to any significant level over the duration of the programme. This again provides a realistic picture of the intractable problem of heroin addiction and persistent heroin use. This picture needs to be considered in the light of the fact that heroin use appears to have increased among the offending population outside prison. The conclusion is that MDT in combination with other security and control strategies has had a substantial impact on cannabis supply and use within prisons, but has had less impact on heroin use.

The Drug Treatment and Testing Order: early lessons
National Audit Office (April 2004)

Detailed report that looks at the outcomes from DTTOs and highlights the low completion rate and concerns around monitoring. Around 28 per cent of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders terminated in the latest full year, 2003, were completed in full or terminated early for good progress.

On-charge drug testing : evaluation of drug testing in the criminal justice system
Home Office (March 2004)

This report looks at the process and implementation of delivering on-charge drug testing in criminal justice settings. It is an interesting document, but is more about process than demonstration that on-charge drug testing has an impact on either offending or on take-up of treatment. It is based on evidence drawn from the ongoing evaluation of the Drug Testing Pilots, which started in three sites in Autumn 2001 and were extended to a further six sites in Summer 2002. Essential read if you have any involvement in developing or extending a drug-testing programme.

Evaluation of drug testing in the criminal justice system in nine pilot areas
Home Office (March 2003)

Matrix MHA and Nacro. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 gave the police the power to drug test detainees in police custody and the courts the power to order pre-sentence drug tests and drug testing of offenders under the supervision of the probation service. The testing is for specified Class A drugs for individuals aged 18 and over who have been charged, or convicted of ‘trigger offences’ (these include property crime, robbery and specified Class A drug offences). The nine pilot areas reported on here are the original three: Hackney, Nottingham, and Stafford and Cannock, plus six new sites: Bedford, Blackpool, Doncaster, Torquay, Wirral, and Wrexham and Mold.

Arrest Referral - A guide to principles and practice
Scottish Effective Interventions Unit (March 2002)

Evaluating Arrest Referral Schemes
Effective Interventions Unit (March 2003)

This is the eleventh guide in the EIU evaluation series. It is designed to offer guidance on how to develop and implement monitoring and evaluation of Arrest Referral schemes in Scotland.

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