ABSTRACT
There are three good reasons why an inquiry into alternatives to imprisonment should pay specific attention to the issue of substance misuse. First, the prevalence of alcohol and drug misuse among offenders has been observed in many studies in the UK and elsewhere. Second, the criminal justice system is one of the primary routes of entry into treatment for a substance misuse problem. The combination of these two factors suggests that dealing with substance misuse consumes a very large part of the resources of the criminal justice system and its partners, and commands the attention of practitioners on a daily basis. The third reason refers to the complexity of the social and environmental contexts of offenders' lives, in which sources of personal support are interwoven with relationships that facilitate continuing involvement in crime and drug use. Extrication from the negative influences of this web of conflicting social ties presents a huge challenge to individuals who are all too often poorly equipped, personally and materially, to meet that challenge. These observations will be elaborated on in the following discussion. Together, they warn that to overlook questions of how to provide access to treatment, to enhance treatment effectiveness and to manage a relapsing condition with respect to offenders in community settings, will undermine the potential value of other proposals for strengthening the non-custodial alternatives.
