Nacro has welcomed the publication of new guidelines for drug offences by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. Paul McDowell, Nacro’s chief executive, who participated in the consultation on the new guidelines, said:

‘These guidelines give courts clear, consistent and comprehensive guidelines for sentencing those convicted of drug offences. These should be beneficial for courts across the country, and provide them with a toolkit to handle all cases.

‘But the emphasis on drug treatment programmes is the most significant part of today’s announcement. It will give judges the opportunity to refer offenders to effective and intensive drug treatment programmes. Prison is the right punishment for serious drug dealers and drug barons who threaten whole communities. But addiction is best tackled by community-based interventions, which can deal with the social and support issues that impact upon offending behaviour.’