YOUNG PEOPLE'S 'JURY' MAKES DRUGS ACTION PLAN

Grimethorpe: Plagued by drugsrelated crime

A 'citizens jury' of young people is sitting for the first time on
Wednesday to consider the crime and drug problems in Grimethorpe, South
Yorkshire.

The idea is that the youngsters will hear evidence from various witnesses
and come up with an action plan.

A few years ago drugs were relatively unheard of in the former colliery
town, but now 80% of crime in the area is drugrelated.

Sergeant Pat Casserly from South Yorkshire Police said: "In a city you can
disperse your crime throughout a larger area but here in Grimethorpe the
effect of a small amount of heroin has quite a large impact on crime. You
need to commit a number local burglaries here in order fund the habit."

The jury is preparing to hear three days of evidence on the subject and
devise an action plan to deal with it. It will hear from police drug
experts and politicians about the best way forward.

Jury member Michael Briggs said: "What we can try and do is to help the
people come off the drugs if they are taking them and see if we can try and
improve the area around us maybe by trying to put out some facilities for
young people so they won't be tempted on to move on to drugs and alcohol."

The area suffers from high unemployment but Government and European money
is being ploughed in. It is hoped that around 2,000 jobs will be created
and the building of a new road will improve Grimethorpe's links with the
outside world.

But asked about their top priority, people put the problem of drugs first.

A youth development worker, Cathy Sharman, said: "Drugs is a big problem
around the country, Grimethorpe isn't a special case it's a national problem.

"But it is a big problem for people round here. They are very concerned. It
is younger and younger people who are starting to use drugs and that's a
real problem."

After three days of deliberation the jury will come up with an action plan
which it will put to the Grimethorpe Partnership an umbrella group of
community leaders, businesses and politicians. This body can decide to
reject the proposals, but will have to give its reasons for doing so.