Responding to Drug Misuse
| Date | 01 March 1994 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059404100109 |
| Published date | 01 March 1994 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Responding what would be the consequences, either
because they might be sentenced more
severely, or face breach proceedings or
to Drug
be subject to child protection
investigation. The report comments that:
’Probation officers need to be clear
Misuse
about their role in relation to drug
misuse, and to communicate this
clearly and unambiguously to
To find out how the Probation Service
offenders under their supervision,
dealt with offenders’ drug misuse
enabling offenders to accurately weigh
immediately prior to the implementation
up the pros and cons of disclosing
of the specific provisions for treatment of
their drug misuse. Offenders should
drug dependency in the Criminal Justice
be given guidelines on what. would
Act 1991, the Home Office Research and
happen to their children if they
Planning Unit surveyed all 55 Areas and
disclosed drug misuse; the drafting of
undertook detailed interviews with staff
such guidelines would require liaison
and drug workers in four Areas: North
with social services. Finally,
Yorkshire, Hampshire, Middlesex and
Probation services need to discuss
Greater Manchester. The focus was upon
with sentencers the work they are
offenders who have acknowledged that
doing with drug misusers so that
they have a drug problem and who have
probation officers can effectively
received some kind of treatment.
communicate the possible benefits of
disclosure to offenders and mform
them of
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any limits on confidentiality.’
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The nationwide
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survey (53 responses)
revealed interesting differences in the
estimated number of offenders receiving
All Services had drug agencies in their
treatment for their drug problems;
area but frequency of use and nature of
whereas Inner London reported
contact varied
an
considerably, sometimes
annual throughput of 2,000 and Avon
depending purely on the initiative of
cited 424, Hampshire volunteered only
officers with sufficient interest and
30
contacts...
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