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Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Answer

The Government take the issue of crime committed by individuals when drunk, or through binge drinking, very seriously. The Government are aware that drinking among young people under the age of 18 is associated with criminal and disorderly behaviour. Nearly half of all 10 to 17-year-olds who drink once a week or more, admitted to some sort of criminal or disorderly behaviour. Of young people aged 18 to 24, those who binge drink were far more likely to admit to committing criminal or disorderly behaviour during or after drinking.The Government have taken a number of actions in order to combat this issue, including introducing the Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP) which was launched in November 2004. Additionally, local areas are now required to address alcohol-related issues within their crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRP) strategies. The Government have produced guidance to assist local areas in producing their strategies, and the Government offices for the regions are co-ordinating this requirement within their specific region. The Government have also recently published ““A practical guide for dealing with alcohol related problems”” which is aimed at local alcohol practitioners and gives advice about the tools and powers available to tackle alcohol-related crime.The Government are working to improve the way alcohol-related offenders are dealt with in custody and in the community. The National Offender Management Service is taking this work forward which includes; the publication of an alcohol pack for offenders under probation supervision, disseminating across the National probation service learning points from alcohol best practice projects, as well as work to develop two alcohol treatment programmes for prisons.Additionally, the Government have funded four alcohol arrest referral pilots. These schemes aim to offer custody-based interventions from a trained worker in order to reduce reoffending. These pilots will be rolled out to 10 new areas, which will ensure that the under 18s will also benefit from these interventions.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

476 c865-6W;476 c863-4W; 206018

Session

2007-08

Subjects

Crime Alcoholic drinks

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk