Home Office minister Caroline Flint

A programme aimed at getting increasing numbers of offenders committing drug crimes into treatment is to be expanded, it is announced today.

The Criminal Justice Interventions Programme, which began in April 2003, will now be available in 66 English regions. 

Offenders who use drugs are identified through testing when charged by the police, and are referred to drug referral workers while in custody. 

Once in treatment, their progress is monitored by a caseworker, who will also provide help in finding a job or home.

Expansion of the scheme is to be matched with £151 million in 2004-5, as part of a three-year package of £447 million.

"Problem drug users cost the economy between £10 and £18 billion a year," said Home Office minister Caroline Flint.

"Around 75 per cent of crack and heroin users commit crime to pay for their habit.  By dealing with their addiction we can cut health costs, criminal justice costs - all the social and economic costs attached to drug abuse.

"Evidence shows that targeting offenders at every point in the criminal justice system reduces reoffending and dependence on drugs.  We estimate that, in 2004-5, drug related crime could be reduced by as many as 1.5 million offences thanks to this programme.

"The government is serious about tackling drug-related crime and the damage it does to people every day.  We are investing almost half a billion pounds over three years to prove it.

"If we can cut the number of burglaries, muggings and car thefts we really can reduce the scourge of class A drugs in our communities."