WELFARE, PARTNERSHIP AND CRIME REDUCTION - ASPECTS OF COURT REFERRAL SCHEMES FOR DRUG-USERS

This paper describes and analyses three schemes initiated in magistrat es' courts in England and Wales in which information about drugs and d rug services is offered to court attenders (either by specialist worke rs or as part of a generic welfare information service) together with the opportunity for referral to services. Difficulties with making con tacts in court were related to a number of factors, including, the lay out of the court waiting areas, defendants' pre-hearing nerves and the lack of context for approaches. It is concluded that the way forward may be for court-based workers to offer a generic welfare service with multi-purpose information and referral, covering issues such as housi ng, debt and health as well as drugs.