News & events
Back to Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) E-bulletinsDIP E-bulletin - December 2008
Welcome to the December 2008 edition of the monthly e-bulletin for the Drug Interventions Programme.
Reducing drug-related crime: National Indicator going ahead
The National Indicator for drug-related offending (NI38) will be going ahead in a modified format following consultations with key stakeholders.
The purpose of this indicator is to drive local performance in reducing offending by Class A drug misusers identified during their contact with the criminal justice system, in order to contribute to an overall reduction in crime and re-offending.
For those areas selecting this indicator for inclusion in their Local Area Agreement, technical guidance and further advice on target setting will be sent directly to Government Offices during December.
The technical definition for this and other deferred indicators will be published by Communities and Local Government (new window) in early December and updated target negotiating briefs will be available through the Government Offices (new window) network.
New introductory overview leaflet for DIP
An updated introductory leaflet about the Drug Interventions Programme has just been published.
The programme aims to identify drug-misusing offenders in the criminal justice system and use interventions to get them into effective treatment that will end their downward spiral of drugs and offending. And it's working: since DIP began five years ago, drug-related crime has fallen by more than a quarter.
The new leaflet explains how DIP operates across England and Wales and describes the measures available in police custody, in the courts, in prison and in the community, as well as outlining rehabilitative steps that can be taken to help prevent people falling back into their old behaviour after treatment.
This publication and others are available to order online.
Practice paper on housing for drug misusers
Housing issues affecting drug misusers is the main focus of a new DIP practice paper. The paper provides 13 case studies offering examples of how housing, drug and mental health services have worked together to find sustainable and successful housing solutions for drug users.
It is aimed primarily at informing and helping those involved in commissioning, planning and delivering housing services, related residential rehabilitation and support services for drug users. It will also be of interest to anyone working with drug users with related housing needs through the criminal justice system, health and social care (hospital and community-based services) or those working with vulnerable groups.
By adopting some of the approaches set out in the paper, local areas can help prevent homelessness, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as help service users tackle their drug use and improve their health and social well-being.
Findings and solutions described in the paper highlight the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to planning, commissioning and delivering housing and related support services for drug users. For more information see Improving Practice in Housing for Drug Users.
Link to latest Key Messages
The latest Key Messages for DIP provide a core script to describe the various elements of the programme and the key points that should be understood about them. This can be a useful resource when preparing reports, briefings and other publications about DIP and it is reviewed and updated every two months. The December/January edition is now available and includes updates to the section on drug testing.
