'SHORTFALL' IN DRUGS TREATMENT

THERE are more than 3,000 users of heroin and crack cocaine across
Kirklees - and more than a third are not getting treatment, according
to a new report.

Compared with other areas in West Yorkshire, Kirklees has the highest
proportion - 59 per cent - of people arrested who test positive for
heroin or crack but are not in treatment.

This means that there are about 600 hardcore offenders who are
commADVERTISEMENTitting offences to feed their drug habits, with
little prospect of them stopping.

Of those not getting treatment, a large number - 30 per cent - are
over the age of 35 and have lengthy histories of drug-taking and stealing.

Drug use is one of several priority areas identified in the Kirklees
Safer, Stronger Communities Partnership Plan for the next three years.

Some successes are being made in the fight to reduce drug use and
repeat offending, the report notes. The Drugs Intervention Programme
and a scheme for prolific offenders have cut re-offending by up to 62
per cent.

The next three years will see a focus on improving offenders' basic
skills and their ability to get and retain a job, more help with
getting accommodation and tackling debts and better access to education.

The partnership says its strategy will involve tackling the
"inter-generational offending cycle" through working with offenders'
families and children.

More routes into treatment, particularly for the most entrenched
users, are to be developed.

The report notes that for every ?1 spent on drug treatment, ?9 is
saved in health and social care costs.

Action on alcohol abuse is also a key priority, the report says. A
third of men and a quarter of women are drinking over sensible limits
in Kirklees, according to a survey.

Five years ago the figures were one in six for men and one in 12 for
women.

Twenty-nine per cent of admissions to A&E in Huddersfield are related
to alcohol - 14 per cent in Dewsbury.

The partnership is aiming to increase the numbers of people in
treatment for alcohol problems and intends to do more work raising
awareness of the dangers of drink among people aged 16 to 25.

The report also highlights anti-social behaviour as a continuing worry
for residents. Extra CCTV at "hotspots" and quicker deployment of
resources are being proposed to reduce such problems.

House burglaries, thefts of sat nav systems, criminal damage and
robberies are also key issues.

Over the past four years, house burglaries have reduced by 36 per cent
in Kirklees, but in recent months these reductions have ceased and
current figures are 42 per cent above the historic lows of around 2005.

The report concludes that the district has become safer in the last
four years, in part thanks to partnership work between police, council
and other organisations.

Reported crime has fallen by 25 per cent in Kirklees and burglary by
36 per cent in the past four years. Violent crime has dropped by 13
per cent.

It concludes: "In relation to drugs and alcohol, we have seen the
benefits of effective treatment in terms of reduced involvement in
crime and significant reductions in alcohol related violence in town
centre areas - however concerns remain with the levels of
irresponsible alcohol consumption."