News & events
Back to Home Office Drugs E-bulletinsDrugs E-bulletin - January 2008
Welcome to the January 2008 edition of the e-bulletin for the Home Office drugs website.
Alcohol strategy - local implementation toolkit launched
A toolkit has been launched to help local teams develop strategies to address alcohol related crime, ill health and other harm.
It is aimed at:
- alcohol leads and others within local authorities
- primary care trusts (PCTs)
- children's services
- Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs)
- Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAATs)
- individual agencies tackling alcohol misuse.
View the alcohol strategy local implementation toolkit on the Crime Reduction website (new window)
Government announces major investment in drug treatment services
Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo has announced £398m funding for drug treatment for 2008/09 to build on the successes of existing drug treatment programmes. Record levels of investment have delivered record numbers entering and staying in drug treatment services. 195,000 people received treatment in 2006/07, 130 per cent more than in 1998.
The drug treatment budget is changing to a system of allocations per person treated, rather than by a formula, thus ensuring that the investment goes where it is needed. This change is occurring over four years to ensure that the resources secure the best return in regards to the delivery of effective treatment.
Read the news story on the Home Office drugs website
National Community Safety Plan published
In July the government published Cutting Crime: A New Partnership 2008-11 (the Crime Strategy), which described a refreshed approach to tackling crime and increasing community safety. This set the overarching strategic framework for crime and community safety from 2008/09 to 2010/11. This was followed in October by a new set of Public Service Agreements (PSAs).
This month a new National Community Safety plan for the same period has been published. This strategy has been revised to ensure that it is clearly in line with the Crime Strategy and PSAs. This does not mean a radical shift in direction – there is strong continuity between the six themes of the National Community Safety Plan 2006-09 and the community safety priorities as set out in the new set of PSAs.
However, there is some shift in emphasis, for example:
- a stronger focus on more serious violence
- greater flexibility for local partners to deliver local priorities
- a specific outcome to increase community confidence
- the need to reflect the increased threat to communities posed by violent extremists
View the Crime Strategy and National Community Safety plan
Alternatively you can order a hard copy from Prolog (dpas@prolog.uk.com). Please quote reference CDSD 4 for the Crime Strategy and CDSD 5 for the National Community Safety Plan.
