Drug treatment 'will cut crime'

Calls are being made for better treatment for drug addicts

Attempts to cut crime in Sheffield are being hampered by a lack of treatment for drug addicts, a report says.

It is claimed users in the city have to wait up to 10 weeks for residential drug treatment which is three times longer than elsewhere in the UK.

The group behind the report, Rethinking Crime and Punishment says addicts are going without treatment and continue to commit crime.

It is calling for more investment in community treatment programmes.

Figures from South Yorkshire show two out of three people arrested for offences such as burglarly, test positive for cocaine, crack or heroin.

They also suggests most prisoners in the area have a history of substance misuse.