26 March 2004
The Home Office's emphasis on targets for imposing new drug treatment and testing orders should change to concentrating on securing positive results, the National Audit Office has said.
Drug orders are community service sentences for drug offenders who would otherwise be jailed, under which they must submit to regular drug testing, attend a treatment programme for 20 hours a week and have their progress reviewed by a court.
The report, Drug treatment and testing orders: early lessons, published on March 26, found that just 28% of orders were completed or ended early because of good progress.
By contrast, 44% were revoked for non-compliance and 22% because a further offence was committed.
Supervision and treatment cost up to £37 per day, compared with £100 a day for custody. So far, the £53.7m programme has made 18,414 orders.
Just over half of those who completed an order were convicted of a further offence within two years, rising to 80% for those who had not.
'There is as yet no evidence as to whether reductions in drug taking are sustained when orders are completed or revoked,' the NAO found.
PFmar2004
