* It is undeniable that a link exists between illegal drugs and crimes
such as burglary and mugging, but the extent and nature of the
connection is far less clear than government spokesmen suggest (Police
to get new drug test powers, September 27). The article refers to home
office research indicating that in five inner-city areas 61% of all
those arrested had taken at least one illegal drug. However, at most,
only 28% of that 61% involved heroin or cocaine. That would suggest
that about 17% of crimes involved criminals who had recently taken
heroin or cocaine.

This would, presumably, have included a considerable number caught in
possession rather than in crimes against innocent people and their
property. It is also impossible to know whether drugs were just
incidental to the crime. So the number of crimes committed against
people or property as a result of drug use might not be as great as
the government suggests.

The draconian measures being proposed are in response to a genuine
concern among the electorate about the high levels of crime such as
theft and burglary. But while the proposed measures may have some
small effect in reducing such crime, will they justify the huge
administrative cost to the police and prison services? And will they
justify a considerable erosion of our civil liberties?

MARK FREEMAN
London