New sentencing approach to cut drug-fuelled crime
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-20)

A new report shows how drug-fuelled crime is being tackled through tough community sentences to get offenders with addiction issues back on straight and narrow.

- Intensive Supervision Courts tackling root causes of offending to cut crime and create safer streets, as part of our Plan for Change
- New approach to reduce drug taking by offenders with severe addictions
- Offenders who do not comply face strict consequences like being sent to prison
The innovative approach of Intensive Supervision Courts means offenders regularly meet with the same judge to track their progress, face random drug testing, and have access to more support from the Probation Service to stop reoffending.

Those who fail to comply face strict consequences including increased drug testing or being sent to prison.

Over a third of offenders in the community have a drug problem and this pilot is designed for offenders with addiction issues, to tackle the drug and alcohol dependence that is fuelling their crimes.

Despite significant addiction issues at the start of the sentence, offenders tested negative for drugs over two thirds of the time, and less than a quarter of offenders needed to be sanctioned for any bad behaviour.

Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending Minister, James Timpson said:

Drug and alcohol-driven crimes make our streets less safe. This report shows there’s a different, more effective way to stop prolific offenders on a never-ending cycle of crime.

These tough, new intensive supervision sentences cuts criminal behaviour and makes our streets safer.

This approach has seen positive results across the world in cutting crime, with other countries seeing a 33% decrease in further arrests compared to people on a standard sentence. Combining many of the successful components already tested across the world, the Ministry of Justice pilot launched in 2023 with three courts in Liverpool, Teesside, and Birmingham. In June 2024, a court in Bristol was added to the pilot.

Over 150 offenders across the country have now been given this new form of sentence.

Probation staff, the judiciary and local services like drug treatment providers have reported that offenders’ drug and alcohol use has reduced and those requiring help with their mental health were now receiving the right support, some for the very first time, to help cut their offending.

The latest offender statistics show that over half (55.5%) of offenders who served a prison sentence of less than 12 months went on to commit another crime within 12 months. For those serving suspended sentence orders with requirements, the figure was just 24%.

Serving his sentence at an Intensive Supervision Court, ‘Luke’ (not his real name) discussed how this helped him understand his offending history and made him feel like he did not need to turn to crime in the future.

Offender Luke said:

Being on the Intensive Supervision Court has completely flipped my life around and given me the opportunity to be a positive role model for my two kids and a brighter future with potential jobs.

I had been a cannabis user since I was 11 and it has been one the main reasons behind my offending behaviour. This community sentence hasn’t been easy but now that I have finished, I can proudly say it’s been one year and two weeks since I have touched the drug.

Revolving Doors, the national charity dedicated to breaking the cycle of crime, helped provide insight for the report.

Pavan Dhaliwal, Chief Executive of Revolving Doors said:

What we know for sure is that prison sentences rarely work for people caught in cycles of crisis and crime and come at a huge financial and societal cost. The evidence shows that using problem-solving approaches in courts and looking to address root causes such as problematic substance use and poor mental health are the best ways to help people turn their lives around.

It is promising to see early results showing the pilot in England has been able to divert people from custody and into tailored support. We look forward to seeing how it can be widened out into a more mainstream approach to reducing reoffending and preventing more people becoming trapped in the revolving door.

Intensive Supervision courts are delivered by a multiagency team who provide wraparound support, monitoring and treatment services for offenders. To help equip offenders with the necessary tools to reduce reoffending this team includes judges, court staff, the probation service, police, treatment providers and the local authority.