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DrugScreening.org


 
U.K. Study Shows Addiction Treatment Cuts Crime
November 18, 2008

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Research Summary

 A study in the U.K. found that heroin and crack-cocaine addicts who received treatment for their addictions committed fewer criminal offenses, the Guardian reported Nov. 17.

The study followed 1,500 recently convicted heroin and crack users sentenced to addiction treatment instead of jail. The number of offenses committed by addicts fell by nearly 50 percent after they entered a treatment program. While theft decreased the most, reduction in crime was consistent, with fraud, drug possession, and prostitution all falling by half.

"While this confirms the value of using substitute prescribing ... to stabilize drug users, it also shows crime is cut rather than eradicated," said Paul Hayes of the U.K.'s National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA). He added that drug workers needed to "go further and do more to actively get users off drugs and reintegrated into society."

The study was conducted by Manchester University's National Drug Evidence Center and was commissioned by the NTA.
This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by ichoosefreedom on 19 Nov 08 11:45 PM EST
Let's see. Get people off heroine and crack and there's less crime. Well DUH! Oh my God, I'l rolling on the floor. How much was spent on THIS study?

Posted by NIna on 19 Nov 08 11:05 AM EST
This is study could be helpful in convincing the voters in this county to support treatment and not just containment. On November 4, 2008, the California voters defeated Prop 5 which included treatment for non-violent drug offenders. It may not have been written as well as it could have been, including reducing probation time, which I do not agree with. Hopefully, another attempt will be made in the near future. If anyone knows of such a piece of legislation and knows how to campaign for its support, I would be very anxious to be involved.

Posted by Eric Sterling on 19 Nov 08 10:30 AM EST
Did anybody else find it completely strange that the study did not name the medication was used prescribed as part of the treatment?

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