About DIP
What is DIP?
The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) is a major part of the UK government's strategy to reduce drug related crime and its associated harm to communities and individuals involved with illicit drug use.
Its principle aim is to reduce drug related crime, offending behaviour and consequent custodial sentences by intervening at every stage of the criminal justice system to engage offenders in drug treatment.
In order to do so, it has built on the best existing interventions to create an integrated approach which enables appropriate and continuing engagement with an individual at arrest, on charge, in court, during and on completion community and custodial sentences or statutory supervision in the community and on leaving structured treatment environments.
In Wales the Welsh Assembly Government has worked closely with the Home Office to ensure that all elements of the DIP programme - drug testing on charge/arrest, arrest referral, criminal justice integrated teams - are fully integrated into a seamless criminal justice drug establishment. DIP went 'live' in Gwent and across Wales in March 2006.
DIP interventions form part of a beginning-to-end support programme that follows and manages offenders as they pass through the criminal justice system, covering the following areas:
· Police custody
· Courts
· Prison
· Probation
· Treatment
· Aftercare
Individuals may also self refer to the scheme if they have a demonstrable link to the criminal justice system or are leaving structured treatment in a planned way.
Why is it needed?
Studies have found that drug dependent offenders report committing very large numbers of crimes to raise enough money to fund habits that often cost several hundred pounds a week, but only about a third are in contact with a treatment service. Patterns suggest that heroin, crack and cocaine users are responsible for half of all vehicle crime, burglary, theft and shoplifting offences.
Economic analysis estimates that for every £1 spent on treatment, £9 is saved in the criminal justice system and other social costs. Therefore, diverting drug misusing offenders into treatment is likely to be highly cost effective.
DIP In Wales
There are four DIP regions in Wales: South Wales, Gwent, Dyfed-Powys and North Wales.
For more information on the DIP organisations in these areas please select the appropriate option.
www.dyfed-powysdip.org.uk|
www.dipsouthwales.org.uk|
North Wales: site in development