Child drug testing pilot launched

By Dominic Casciani,
BBC News Online community affairs correspondent

Teenagers charged for drug-related crimes are to be tested for Class A drugs, the Home Office has announced.

Ministers hope to provide youths with more specialist help

Youths in 10 pilot areas in England will be obliged to take part in the testing for suspected offences such as burglary and theft.

Ministers say the trial aims to get offenders into treatment more quickly and break the link between crime and drugs.

A leading drugs campaign charity says it has reservations because testing has to be backed up with treatment.

Under the plan, teenagers arrested in 10 areas will be tested for heroin, crack and cocaine if they are charged for a "trigger offence" - burglary, attempted burglary, theft, handling stolen goods, car crime and begging.

Anyone aged between 14 and 17 years old testing positive will be referred to a specialist youth worker. The scheme will begin on 1 August.

'New approaches'

Each of the 10 pilot areas already operated "arrest referral schemes" which aim to get young offenders out of crime.

The addition of drug testing means those found to be using Class A drugs will get more specialised help, predict ministers.

Junior Home Office minister Caroline Flint said: "By testing teenagers who have been charged with offences that are often linked to drugs, we can identify young people at risk of developing serious drug problems early on and get them treatment and support.

The best intervention is to ensure that young people do not use drugs at all Martin Barnes, Drugscope

"We know that young offenders are more likely to use drugs than other young people. We need to intervene and stop Class A drug abuse as early as possible.

"Drug misuse by young people is often linked to alcohol misuse, family or mental health problems.

"It is vital we take some new approaches and give these young people the help they need."

Since the first testing schemes began in 2001, some 66 areas have begun operating similar programmes.

Drug testing, along with other "intervention" programmes aimed at breaking a cycle of offending are set to cost about £500m over three years.

The Prime Minister has also said head teachers may be given the power to randomly test their students.

A Home Office study of previous schemes of drug testing at the point of criminal charge showed it was a better way of identifying more quickly those with a serious drugs habit, though it did not necessarily reduce drug use.

More investment

UK drugs information charity Drugscope warned that any testing had to be backed up investment in prevention and treatment.

PILOT TEST AREAS Bradford Calderdale Hull Liverpool Camden (London) Newham (London) Southwark (London) Manchester Middlesbrough Nottingham

"Drug testing for offenders can be an effective means of identifying young people at risk of future drug misuse, but the limits in using the criminal justice system need to be recognised," said Martin Barnes, chief executive of the charity.

"While there is no room for complacency, only a small percentage of young people have used class A drugs and drug dependency is not common."

Mr Barnes said the recent closure of two youth drugs programmes had raised concerns about the quality of referrals and funding commitments.

And he said parents would also need specialist support if they learned of a child using Class A drugs.

"We need continued and additional investment in prevention programmes, recognising that the best intervention is to ensure that young people do not use drugs at all."