Drugs: Home Office research reports
On 20 November 2007, the Home Office published research reports on drug abuse treatment and interventions programmes, measurement of the harm and extent of drug abuse, and the nature of the illicit drugs trade:
- The Drug Treatment Outcomes research study: baseline report (Home Office Research Report 03) - findings from the quantitative study baseline interviews. The topics covered in this report include: the characteristics of treatment-seekers; the referral source to treatment and treatment history; nature and level of drug use; levels of offending; risk-taking behaviour; and, motivations for treatment.
The Drug Treatment Outcomes research study: baseline report
- The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP): addressing drug use and offending through ‘Tough Choices’ (Home Office Research Report 02) - examines the way that the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) engages and directs Class A drug misusers from the point of arrest or charge to the point of treatment. It also examines whether the implementation of Tough Choices in April 2006 changed the characteristics of people coming through DIP, and whether it improved the retention of drug users in the system (including in treatment). It also examines offending patterns before and after DIP. Two cohorts are examined consisting of all positive testers coming through the custody suite during two time periods; one before and one after Tough Choices.
The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP): addressing drug use and offending through ‘Tough Choices’
- Measuring the harm from illegal drugs: the Drug Harm Index 2005 (Online Report 22/07) - latest update adds data for 2005 and incorporates revised figures for earlier years. It shows that the DHI has fallen from 89.1 in 2004 to 83.8 in 2005. This is a drop of 5.3 points or 5.9 per cent. This compares to a decrease of 18.2 per cent between 2003 and 2004. The index has now fallen year-on-year since 2001. The fall in the DHI between 2004 and 2005 is largely due to further reductions in drug-related crime.
Measuring the harm from illegal drugs: the Drug Harm Index 2005
- National and regional estimates of the prevalence of opiate use and/or crack cocaine use 2005/06: a summary of key findings (Online Report 21/07) - summarises the results of the second sweep of a three-year study to estimate the prevalence of ‘problem drug use’ (defined as use of opiates and/or crack cocaine) nationally (England only), regionally, and locally. An overview of national and Government Office Region estimates are presented in this report as are comparisons with the estimates produced by the previous (2004/05) sweep of this study.
National and regional estimates of the prevalence of opiate use and/or crack cocaine use 2005/06: a summary of key findings (PDF)
- The illicit drug trade in the United Kingdom (Online Report 20/07) - presents findings from interviews with 222 imprisoned drug dealers and traffickers. It provides a detailed insight into the operation of the market for illicit drugs.
The illicit drug trade in the United Kingdom (PDF)
