Teenagers and beggars to face drugs testing

Teenagers and beggars who are charged with drug-related crimes are to be tested for class A drugs, the Home Office has announced today.

Fourteen to 17-year-olds who are charged for a 'trigger offence', such as burglary, car crime and theft, will be tested for heroin, crack and cocaine.

Also from today people charged with begging, handling stolen goods and attempted burglary, in addition to burglary car crime and theft, will be tested on charge.

Those testing positive will be referred to specialist youth workers who will "assess and help to address their needs", the Home Office said.

The new scheme, which is part of the drive to get drug users into treatment and break the links between drugs and crime, will be piloted in 10 areas from 1 August. The 10 pilot areas are: Liverpool, Manchester, Camden, Southwark, Newham, Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Calderdale, Bradford and Kingston upon Hull.

Visiting a young people's drug service and a custody suite in Manchester, which will be taking part in the pilot, Ms Flint said that it was "vital" some new approaches were adopted to give young people the help they need.

"Overall crime is falling, but class A drugs are still the cause of many crimes. Drug testing is just one part of the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme, on which we are spending nearly half a billion pounds over three years. By targeting drug-using offenders early, we can get them into treatment and away from a life of crime," she added.

Drug testing after charge began in selected areas in 2001 as part of the government's Criminal Justice Interventions Programme – it is now in operation in 66 police areas.

An independent evaluation report of the first three years, published today, has found that, whilst drug testing does not on its own reduce class A drug use, it does help identification of drug-using offenders and increases the number of people accessing treatment.

(gmcg)