The new coalition government has made promises to devolve control to local communities and give people the power to close local services and take control of their neighbourhoods as part of the ‘Big Society’.

It has also promised a ‘rehabilitation revolution’ to break the cycle of crime. But will these policies work together or will the most vulnerable people for whom the Big Society was supposedly introduced, be those most likely to be excluded?

It is estimated that the use of class A drugs costs us around £15 billion a year. They can have a huge damaging effect on lives and communities creating poor health and crime. About half of all acquisitive crime is drug related and around 60% of prisoners on admission are class A drug users.

A primary protective factor for substance misusers is housing, especially those leaving custody. It is a necessary stepping stone in accessing and maintaining employment and healthcare including substance misuse treatment; all of which help to reduce chances of reoffending. But who wants to live next to a ‘druggie’ or worse, ‘a druggie ex-con’? And if they are not accepted by their communities, where will they go?

The danger is that the ‘not on my doorstep’ attitude will end up leaving the most vulnerable with nowhere to go except for back to drugs and crime at a cost to the whole community.

People are often discharged from prison without suitable accommodation. Some people end up staying with friends or acquaintances where they inevitably fall back into their old circles. Others end up in poor housing in unpopular and deprived areas that have high rates of crime and drug use. Essential housing projects are oversubscribed.

One of the young men on Nacro’s London housing and drug treatment projects is a prime example of the complex road to recovery. He was introduced to the world of drugs at the age of ten when he was paid to be the go between for crack and smack deals before he even knew what the drugs were. A woman, who was like a mother figure in his life, tucked drug bags into his socks and he sold blue or white bags, depending on what the customer asked for.

By the time he was a teenager, he was taking the drugs himself and found himself in and out of prison for various offences. He was always released straight back into his old community and would stay with friends that were still involved in using or dealing. Well known in the area, people would cross the road when he walked past and want nothing to do with him. He could never sustain any rehabilitation treatment as he was surrounded by his old chaotic life of drug abuse with no support.

Nacro provide him with accommodation and support and a chance to change. However, even with the support of Nacro, like many ex-offenders with addictions, he will have a long road ahead. On top of dealing with the stigma of a criminal record, a background of drug abuse can be just as difficult for landlords, employers and communities to accept and puts you constantly at the back of the queue for jobs, courses or homes.

Rehabilitation is not only about the person who is trying to reform but also about the attitudes and behaviours of the community he or she is trying to live in.

If there is a real commitment from the government to reducing reoffending and drug misuse, an equal commitment needs to be made to provide suitable and sufficient housing to give ex-offenders the chance to reintegrate back into society. Let’s just hope that the new neighbourhood armies of the Big Society are ready to welcome them.