The problem was more evident in areas where community drug-treatment services were lacking. According to the study, "Routes into Treatment: Drugs and Crime,"one-third of the drug-using offenders in underserved areas said they committed crimes in order to get help.

The report also indicated that the British government has been successful with its development of drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs), which enable law enforcement and the courts to develop a fast track into treatment services for addicted individuals convicted of crimes.

But while the government is spending more money on treatment ordered by the courts and the police, the report shows that fewer resources have been directed to community treatment services that serve all addicted individuals.

"In areas with strong community treatment services this could [improve] access to treatment across the board," said a Turning Point spokesman. "But where community treatment is poor, with excessive waiting times, the police, courts, and even a prison sentence can be seen as the only way to get help."

The study quoted one drug misuser as saying, "I needed to get arrested and imprisoned, as I would eventually have been found dead in a gutter if I had not had the chance of a DTTO."

The study also found that organizational changes to DTTOs are needed, such as greater flexibility to address individuals with mental-health problems and easing the threat of a prison sentence for those who relapse. Currently, less than a third of those sentenced to treatment and testing orders complete them.

"This is not a moral argument about how we should or shouldn't treat drug users," said Lord Adebowale, the chief executive of Turning Point. "There is a strong business case for getting this right. By improving DTTOs and cutting re-offending, we could increase savings and make huge inroads into tackling drug-related crime."

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