Twisting arms or a helping hand?: assessing the impact of 'coerced' and comparable 'voluntary' drug treatment options
Despite the rapid expansion of options to coerce drug-dependent offenders into treatment - culminating recently in the provisions of the 2005 Drugs Act and the government's Tough Choices' agenda - research findings to date are equivocal about their impact in reducing crime. This paper pres...
Contributors: | ; ; ; |
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Format: | Print Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2007
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In: |
The British journal of criminology
Year: 2007, Volume: 47, Issue: 3, Pages: 470-490 |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Availability in Tübingen: | Present in Tübingen. IFK: In: Z 7 |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Keywords: |
Summary: | Despite the rapid expansion of options to coerce drug-dependent offenders into treatment - culminating recently in the provisions of the 2005 Drugs Act and the government's Tough Choices' agenda - research findings to date are equivocal about their impact in reducing crime. This paper presents UK findings from a pan-European study on this issue. The results - at both national and international levels - reveal that court-mandated clients reported significant and sustained reductions in illicit drug use and offending behaviours, and improvements in other areas of social functioning. Those entering the same treatment services through non-criminal justice routes also reported similar reductions and improvements. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of recent policy developments |
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ISSN: | 0007-0955 |