Does alcohol have as much of a focus as drug addiction in UK
"Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in Britain with only 7 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women describing themselves as non-drinkers" (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2000: 6). "When considered in population terms, alcohol is a more important risk factor for antisocial behaviour than are other drugs because it is more frequently taken in excess" (Rutter et al, 1998: 154). Most people consume alcohol socially and moderately; however there are some who drink heavily, with not just adverse physical and psychological effects for themselves. It has been estimated that "alcohol misuse contributes to 40% of violent crime, 78% of assaults and 88% of criminal damage cases" (Deehan, 1999: 1). Coupled with reports that "28% of all offenders seen by the probation service have alcohol problems compared with 12% with drug problems" (Alcohol Concern, 1999: 16), it would seem that alcohol has a larger part to play in crime than the misuse of drugs. However, the Government has invested heavily in drug use prevention - L94 million per year - but has seemingly neglected the issue of alcohol misuse, spending as little as L1 million per year on promoting prevention and treatment (Dean, 2000). Add to this a lack of true alc
Referrals from Probation Officers to alcohol advice and counselling bodies, such as Alcohol Advice, Alcohol Concern and Turning Point, can be made at any point of an offender's order, although if the problem has been identified at Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) level then the need for referral will be highlighted in the Initial Supervision Plan. To try and ascertain whether alcohol is the forgotten issue in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), this essay will be examining (albeit briefly) the relationship between alcohol and crime; the legislation regarding alcohol; the measures in place to deal with issues of alcohol misuse; and whether or not these measures are sufficient and appropriate. However, emphasis has shifted towards the attachment of Drug Treatment conditions with fewer attachments for alcohol detoxification. The basis of the programme is the 12-Step programme taken from traditional Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowships. Initiatives to stop youths from underage drinking are also in the action plan for Partnerships, with an emphasis on a more widespread use of proof of age cards, and a more rigorous enforcement of the Licensing Acts of 1964 and 1968 to prevent the sale of alcohol to under-18s (Crime Reduction website 2002). One good sign however is that the Prison Service and National Probation Service are working towards a framework for addressing the needs of offenders with alcohol problems that will complement existing arrangements for drugs. The Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt) programme is also available,. If the Court passes a sentence that involves contact with Probation then offender motivation may be low and response to supervision can be hindered. As it accepts a more acceptable role in society, it loses negative connotations and associations with crime, which in part has led to its becoming the lesser evil compared to drugs. Police Officers also report that "alcohol has a greater effect on their workload than drugs" with 60% of those surveyed saying that the effect was greater, and 40% saying the effect was about the same. The joint efforts of the Probation and Prison Services on developing an alcohol framework should hopefully come to fruition in the near future, and Peter Bond's RAPt programmes are attempting to find additional funding so that their programmes can be run in more prisons (Bond, 1998:87; Social Exclusion Unit, 2002: 63). This provision was later replaced in the Powers of Criminal Courts and Sentencing Act 2000 and the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, when the orders became Community Rehabilitation Orders (CROs), but still with the possibility of an attached condition. The treatment order could only be attached if a "suitably qualified person satisfies the court that the offender is dependent on or misuses drugs or alcohol" and that this misuse contributed to the offence and may respond to treatment (Ashworth et al 1991b:68). Agencies such as the police, probation, drugs and alcohol counselling and treatment, training and education agencies, and employment agencies, were to work together to help decrease crime, the risk of reoffending and harm, and improve public safety. A big step taken recently in the addressing of alcohol-related crime in February 2003 was the publication by the Home Office of guidance for local Partnerships which defined clearly for the first time "what is meant by alcohol-related crime" (Alcohol Concern Website, 2003).
Common topics in this essay:
Concern Website,
Exclusion Unit,
Alcohol Concern,
Rowntree Foundation,
L227 Meikle,
Disorder Act,
Justice Act,
Impaired Driver,
System CJS,
Disorder Partnerships,
alcohol misuse,
criminal justice,
alcohol concern,
crime disorder,
drugs alcohol,
drug treatment,
alcohol concern 1999,
act 2000,
concern 1999,
deehan 1999,
et al,
criminal justice system,
social exclusion unit,
issue alcohol misuse,
deehan 1999 1,
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Acceptance Essays
