DRUGS SENTENCES AT RECORD LEVEL, SAYS HOME OFFICE

The number of people jailed for drugs offences has risen to a record level,
according to figures from the Home Office. More than one in 10 prison
inmates was jailed over drugs.

A Home Office study, obtained by The Observer, reveals that 13 per cent of
criminals in custody was convicted of drugs offences - twice the proportion
10 years ago. One in five inmates regularly takes drugs in prison.

MPs have described the findings as 'extremely disturbing'. Experts say jail
terms can increase the problems of addiction and do little to reduce
re-offending.

The study shows that, a decade ago, 2,845 of the 48,610 prisoners in
England and Wales were in jail for drugs-related offences. The prison
population has since risen by nearly 20,000, and last year 8,475 prisoners
were jailed for drugs - twice the proportion of a decade ago.

Jailing drugs offenders does little to reduce consumption, the study shows.
Mandatory drugs tests reveal that 18.3 per cent of inmates use drugs
inside, and experts fear it is 60 per cent in some prisons.

Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said the
findings were 'extremely disturbing'. He added: 'In almost every case we
can see that jail does not cure the problem.'

The revelations come as rehabilitation groups warn that new laws will close
at least a third of bed spaces for addicts. Department of Health
regulations will force rehabilitation centres to conform to standards or close.

A spokeswoman for the Government-funded group Drugscope said: 'The
Government has set targets to put more people into treatment, but these
plans are a nonsense if there are fewer places.'

Prison welfare groups say jail does not help addicts kick their habits.
Fran Russell, assistant director of the Howard League for Penal Reform,
said: 'There is little help for them and they have even more reason to take
drugs, which are also more available to them.'