Government announces plans to drug test offenders

New powers to allow police to drug test certain offenders will come into force today, the Home Office has announced.

The new measures, part of the Drugs Act, will be used initially in those police areas with the highest rates of drug-linked crime.

The plans aim to reduce drug-related crime by forcing more drug abusers into treatment programmes.

The measures will allow police to test drug-using offenders for heroin, crack and cocaine on arrest for crimes such as street robbery or burglary.

Those who test positive will then attend a compulsory drug assessment, conducted by specialist drug workers, to determine the extent of their problem and help them into treatment and other support, even if they are not charged. Those who fail to comply with the new measures will face a fine of up to £2,500, as well as a possible maximum prison sentence of three months.

Those who are charged will also be subjected to new restrictions on bail provisions, which enable the courts to deny bail unless the offender agrees to a drug assessment. The bail restrictions will be rolled out to the whole of England from March 31 next year.

Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire police will be the first to have test on arrest and compulsory drugs assessment, but the measures will be expanded further on March 31, 2006.

Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said: “Quite apart from the personal misery they cause, drugs are a major driver of crime.

“Testing on arrest and compulsory assessment will help to identify more drug misusing offenders within the criminal justice system, help more of them into treatment, reduce the amount of crime they commit and so make communities safer.”

It was also announced that the Home Office is seeking the views of the police, courts and drugs agencies on the setting of particular thresholds for the possession of controlled drugs.

This would clarify the point at which the quantity of drugs held in a person’s possession becomes above that which could reasonably be considered for personal use and, the Home Office said, would help the courts to differentiate between possession and intent to supply. The consultation will run until March 3, 2006.

(KMcA/SP)