Drugs 'play major role in crime'

Drugs could be involved in 50% of crimes

Drugs play a major role in crime, according to new research due to be released by the British Home Office.

Ministers are expected to use the results to reinforce the case for tough measures to force drug offenders into treatment or face jail.

For the survey, researchers asked everyone arrested at certain police stations around the country to undergo urine tests for drugs.

Reports suggest that the figure for positive drug tests among suspects could be as high as 50%.

Senior Metropolitan police officers have already revealed that at one London station one in four of those who agreed to be tested were found to have traces of heroin in their blood.

Up to one in seven of those arrested, mostly for robbery and burglary, were described as "problem users".

Home Office ministers will use the national research to underline the need for "drug treatment orders", contained in the Crime and Disorder Bill currently going through parliament.

These allow courts to demand urine samples and, if positive, the offenders can be sentenced to treatment.

The orders would be backed up by repeated urine tests to ensure the offenders are keeping off drugs. If they fail to comply with the orders they can be jailed.

The plans echo American "drug courts", where all drug cases are dealt with by expert judges and prosecutors in special courts.

Addicts are sentences to "treatment" as an alternative to jail and each positive or missed urine test can lead to a day in jail as punishment.

The courts are credited with excellent results in steering people off drugs and away from crime.