LABOUR'S SOFTER LAWS BLAMED AS DRUG CRIME SOARS

More than 600 drug offences are now being committed every day, it
emerged yesterday.

Labour's soft stance and its downgrading of cannabis are being blamed
for a 14 per cent rise in narcotics crimes as Gordon Brown faces fresh
pressure to reclassify the drug.

Overall, recorded crime and violent crime fell, according to Home
Office figures. But the separate British Crime Survey showed a two per
cent rise in victims of violence.

At the same time, public confidence in the justice system is
plummeting.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "Drug abuse is one of the
major causes of crime and these statistics show Labour have patently
failed to deliver on their rhetoric.

"Drug abuse is not an isolated crime - it destroys lives, wrecks
communities, fuels other crime and is a major cause of our broken society.

"Spiralling drug abuse is a result of a shambolic and failed policy
which needs putting right. Labour, however, is part of the problem,
not the solution."

Some 55,000 drug crimes were committed between April and June this
year, the equivalent of 604 every day.

That was a 14 per cent rise on the 48,300 drug offences committed
during the same quarter last year.

The growing problem is being blamed on the sharp rise in cautions for
cannabis possession after the drug was downgraded to Class C in 2004.

Critics fear the soft stance has also sent out the wrong message and
led to an increase in drug use.

Of the 194,300 drug offences recorded throughout 2006-07, more than
130,000 were for cannabis possession.

Those figures were released in the summer, just hours after Home
Secretary Jacqui Smith admitted she had experimented with the drug in
her youth.

The Prime Minister is under increasing pressure to reverse Labour's
decision to downgrade the drug amid fears that high doses have fuelled
mental illness and suicide.

In July, Mr Brown announced a review of whether cannabis should now be
moved back to Class B in what was seen as a major victory for critics.

Norman Brennan, director of the Victims of Crime Trust, said: "Drug
crime has a devastating effect on people's lives, both for the victims
and offenders.

"But the sad reality is that when certain drug offences our out of
control, instead of tackling this crime root and branch, the
Government did the crazy thing of effectively decriminalising it and
made it even more difficult for the police to tackle."

There was some good news for ministers. as the quarterly statistics
showed that, overall, recorded crime fell by seven per cent on the
same period last year to just under 1,300,000 offences.

Recorded levels of violent crime were down eight per cent overall,
including a 14 per cent drop in the most serious violence.

But the separate British Crime Survey showed a one per cent rise in
violent crime, including a two per cent increase in offences causing
injury.

The Home Office came under fire after suggesting these increases were
not "statistically significant".

The rise in violence causing injury was the equivalent of 26,000
offences and Mr Brennan said: "I would not say up to 26,000 more
victims of violence is insignificant."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "People feel
far less safe in their own communities than they should, and certain
key offences such as drug-related crime are still going up.

"This is the depressing legacy of the Government's tough-talking
populism on crime."

Public confidence in the criminal justice system has fallen across the
board, according to the BCS, which ministers regard as the most
accurate reflection of crime levels.

In all, satisfaction in seven categories, including bringing offenders
to justice, reducing crime and meeting the needs of victims, showed a
decline.

Overall, the BCS estimated there were 11,022,000 crimes in the year to
the end of June, which was stable on the previous 12 months.

In the separate recorded crime figures, robbery showed a nine per cent
fall, sexual offences also dropped nine per cent and criminal damage
dropped 10 per cent.

Firearms offences fell six per cent to a provisional figure of 9,712
incidents.

However, the Home Office figures suggest that football hooliganism is
on the rise again for the first time in four years.

Almost 3,800 yobs were seized by police last year, up eight per cent
on the previous season, including a 25 per cent rise in disorder offences.

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said: "I am encouraged that the BCS
shows stability after historic falls and the police figures show that
total recorded crime is down by seven per cent.

"Reductions in violence against the person, domestic burglary and
criminal damage all point to significant progress.

"In fact, the chances of being a victim of crime are around their
lowest level since the survey began in 1981." i Drug abuse is one of
the major causes of crime and these statistics show Labour have
patently failed to deliver on their rhetoric i

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis