Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership

Enforcement

The Government are determined to continue enforcement action against all illegal drugs, as part of an integrated approach to tackling the drugs problem in a way which progressively prevents drug misuse arising in the first place.

The Government's strategy in Scotland is based on the UK's international efforts to stem the flow of drugs into the country. But it reaches down into the day-to-day problems faced in communities hard pressed by drug misuse. It is a partnership effort, involving vigorous action by a number of enforcement bodies.

The police are in the front line in combating drug misuse. There are over 14,000 police officers in Scotland. Almost all of them will have been involved in some way in dealing with the impact of illegal drugs. A key part is played by members of dedicated drug squads _ and the Criminal Investigation Departments of each of Scotland's eight police forces are also deeply involved in work against drugs, while uniformed officers deal daily with many reports and incidents stemming from illegal drug related activity. Concentrated operations _ such as Strathclyde Police's "Spotlight" campaign against drugs and housebreaking, and Lothian and Borders Police's "Operation Foil" - attract widespread media attention and popular support. But important routine enforcement work continues all the time, focusing on drugs which cause the greatest damage.

The Scottish Crime Squad, consisting of over 100 specially trained and equipped officers who concentrate on the most serious crimes (particularly operations against illegal drugs) devotes over 80% of its resources to targeting the activities of high-level drug traffickers and dealers. In 1997-98, it recovered over £8.6 million worth of drugs - almost three times the figure only two years before. The Scottish Crime Squad's headquarters, near Paisley, acts as a special "drugs enforcement unit", because its building is shared with two other key organisations - the Scottish office of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (which exchanges intelligence on serious crime with the police service in England and Wales and overseas) and HM Customs and Excise's Investigation Division. These three organisations and the eight Scottish police forces are working in close partnership to reduce the availability of drugs on Scotland's streets. They form part of a newly created Drugs Enforcement Forum, under the chairmanship of The Scottish Office, bringing together also the local authorities and other Government departments which can help with drugs enforcement.

Concentrated action by the police and other enforcement agencies has achieved quite remarkable successes in terms of drugs seized, arrests made and supply chains disrupted. But enforcement also involves prosecution in the courts. In recent years, the number of prosecutions for offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act has increased dramatically - from 2,842 in 1987 to 8,220 in 1997, an increase of 189% over the decade. At the same time, the use of gaol sentences for convicted drugs offenders has also increased. In 1997, 15% of drugs offenders who had a charge proved against them, received a custodial sentence - compared with 13% in 1987. In 1996, for the first time, drugs offenders became the largest group sentenced to prison for terms longer than two years - exceeding those sentenced for serious assault or for robbery. This continued in 1997, when a total of 254 drugs offenders were sentenced to terms over two years, representing 27% of all those sentenced to such long determinate sentences. In addition, 226 people were sent to prison for simple possession offences (mostly for short terms). So the procurators fiscal and the courts are taking a very serious view of drug offences, complementing the enforcement action taken by the police.

People who drive under the influence of drugs create a special problem. The Government are two-thirds through a three year survey of road fatalities, to measure the incidence of drugs in road accident victims, which will help to quantify the problem. The Government will consider the need for changes in the current legislation in the light of the full picture, including the results of the survey. At the same time, the police are considering how to improve training in drug recognition to help improve enforcement of the prohibition on driving while unfit through drugs. The Government are also looking at drug detection devices which might be used to screen drivers for the presence of drugs.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) takes the problem of drugs in prisons very seriously. Enforcement measures have been enhanced by piloting new drug detection equipment (to deter and to detect traffickers) by the establishment of intelligence analysts and systems throughout the Service and by close liaison with the Scottish Crime Squad. New technology has assisted both intelligence analysts and swift passage of information - and CCTV is being extended from visits areas to other communal areas. All operational prison staff are trained in search techniques and the drug dog section is to be expanded. Mandatory drug testing of prisoners remains central to the deterrence effort, but has also been instrumental in the substantial increase in the number of prisoners seeking support for their drug misuse problems.

Current Action: Availability

Enforcement

police and other enforcement agencies in Scotland give high priority to drug enforcement - particularly (but not only) class A drugs individual police force initiatives targeted against drug dealers have been conspicuously successful the location in one building of the Scottish Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and HM Customs and Excise has strengthened the flow of intelligence between the law enforcement agencies in Scotland about serious crime, particularly drug trafficking - and that has paid off in greatly increased seizures the co-ordinated approach has been strengthened by the creation of a Drugs Enforcement Forum, under the chairmanship of The Scottish Office, to identify ways in which enforcement can be improved the Government are examining ways of strengthening action on the confiscation of assets acquired by criminals procurators fiscal and the courts have sent clear signals on the prosecution and severe punishment of drug offenders

Prisons

Drug Strategy Co-ordination Group formed to co-ordinate the key elements of the SPS drugs strategy - prevalence, treatment, education and links with external agencies Drug Strategy Co-ordinator being appointed 1994 policy being updated drug free places at all sites, rising to 36% of capacity by April 2001 piloting of new drug detection equipment

The Wider Environment

Action specifically on drugs, however, is not enough. Action on individual social problems such as drug misuse must be accompanied by steps to deal with the underlying wider environment in which they arise. This is acknowledged by the Government in their response to the report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD),

Drug Misuse and the Environment. The Government are committed to creating a more inclusive society across Scotland through a comprehensive and concerted programme of action, tackling poor housing, high crime levels, high unemployment, squalid environment and a lack of decent leisure and recreational facilities. More than £2 billion has already been committed to initiatives promoting social inclusion.

In May 1998 the Secretary of State established the Scottish Social Inclusion Network to help the Government develop a social inclusion strategy for Scotland. The strategy will set out a concise framework for effective joint action including a clear statement of objectives. The network includes people expert in tackling drug misuse.

Many current Government initiatives in this area can be expected to make an impact on the drug misuse problem.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

In taking forward its regeneration policy in Scotland, the Government wish to ensure that promoting inclusion and preventing exclusion is at the very heart of policy. They have therefore announced the creation of new Social Inclusion Partnerships with funding totalling £16 million in 1999-2000, to help our most deprived and excluded communities. These partnerships will aim to get the best out of existing initiatives, and support additional activities such as improving access to training, employment and education, improving childcare provision and introducing initiatives which will improve people's health and overall quality of life.

New Deal for Communities

This programme will strengthen and empower deprived communities. In Scotland, £12.9 million has been made available to support two new programmes, Working for Communities and Listening to Communities.

Through the Working for Communities initiative, local communities are being encouraged to develop new and innovative ways of providing local services. Funding is being provided to test out new ways of improving service delivery co-ordination on the ground and giving local communities increased influence over service provision.

The Listening to Communities programme recognises that effective community involvement is vital to the success of the many initiatives that are addressing social exclusion. The programme will therefore

develop the potential of local communities to participate in regeneration partnerships; identify new ways of testing community needs, aspirations and opinions; and develop decision making processes which encourage active participation at a local level.

Communities that Care

Communities that Care is a new kind of prevention programme that puts young people at the heart of Government plans for safe and prosperous communities. It is a long-term programme for building safer neighbourhoods where children and young people are valued, respected and encouraged to achieve their potential. The programme has been adapted from one developed very successfully in the United States and is supported in the UK by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

In each of three areas being funded by The Scottish Office (£30,000 a year in each area over three years, matched by the local authority), a working partnership will be established between local people, key agencies and organisations, to promote healthy personal and social development among young people, while reducing the risks of different problem behaviours.

Housing

£45 million was allocated to New Housing Partnerships in 1997/98-1998/99. A further £278 million is being made available during 1999 to 2002 to bring about transfer partnerships which both promote community ownership of housing and attract private finance into improving the fabric of the social rented housing stock. New Housing Partnership resources are also being used for partnership projects which involve new development (where there is a need for more affordable homes for rent) or housing regeneration.

£9 million was allocated to the Empty Homes Initiative over 1997/98-1998/99 to help local authorities bring empty properties back into use for people in housing need. A further £15 million is being made available for the next three years.

New Deal

The New Deal for Young People and the Long-term Unemployed will provide opportunities for these groups to improve their skills, and help them to secure sustainable employment. The Government have pledged over £300 million in Scotland on the New Deal over the lifetime of this Parliament.

Through the New Deal Gateway, young people with particular problems will get specialist advice and help. The New Futures Fund will help some of Scotland's most excluded people, including those who have fought back from drug misuse, to equip themselves for work, at a cost of £10 million over the next three years.

Inequalities in Health

The links between inequality and health have been recognised by Government, and the recently published White Paper provides the opportunity to develop a wider strategy to improve health, with a particular focus on children and young people. Substantial increases in NHS resources will also assist Health Boards to improve health standards and reduce health inequalities.

Education

Increased resources have been made available for education, in particular an additional £629 million for schools over the next three years. A central element of this is the development of an Excellence Fund which will target support on projects critical to raising attainment throughout Scotland. These include a number of initiatives which will have an important impact on the health, welfare and personal development of young people, including New Community Schools, out of school hours learning activities, provision for special educational needs and the support for strategies for alternatives to exclusion.

New Community Schools are a key project in this context. They are to be comprehensively piloted in every local authority area over the next three years. The key aim is to co-ordinate the delivery of education, health and social services through schools. They will have a key role in tackling social exclusion in some of our most deprived areas although in the long run it is expected that the principles of New Community Schools will be extended much more widely. Their comprehensive approach to the provision of services should strengthen the capacity of schools to identify health related problems in children and young people and to help direct the services to tackle them.