Nine out of 10 offenders handed court orders over drugs
Court orders to offenders to address their drug problems are meeting high levels of breaches and nearly nine out of 10 of those involved are reconvicted.
Breaches of the Drug
Testing and Treatment Orders (DTTO) handed down by
sentencers run at 45%, according to the most recent figures.
Those back in the dock and found guilty of subsequent offences within two years run to 88% - a level sustained over several years. The lowest it fell over the first half of this decade was 83%.
According to figures released by the Scottish Government, in answer to a question from Margaret Smith, the LibDem justice spokesman at Holyrood, some areas are finding much higher breach levels than others.
Nine council areas had more than half of their DTTOs breached, including the Grampian area, Dundee, Fife, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.
The highest levels of breaching were in Renfrewshire, where 14 out of 15 DTTOs were breached in 2006-07, and in North Ayrshire, 29 out of 36 did so.
The figures of reconviction within two years of receiving a DTTO sentence
are less easy to break down into local authority areas,
and the statistics are patchy. But the most recent figures, up to 2004-05, show all
of those in Dundee went
on to re-offend.
Across Ayrshire, that went for 95%, and in Glasgow, it was at 91%.
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Posted by: JohnM, Perth on 11:44pm Fri 18 Jul 08
If DTTO's are being treated with almost complete contempt it's time to rack up the pressure and stop being so nice to criminals.
Sentences have to mean something and something has gone drastically wrong with these orders. 90% failure rate must inform even the most lily-livered liberal that all is not well!
Jail terms with hard labour would be an unwelcome surprise for the re-offenders. Making prisons pleasant is just rewarding criminality. Maybe time to draft in that Texan(?) sherrif who puts the crims on a no-nonsense regime in tented prisons and has them generating their electric power by static bicycles powered by the inmates. So it's quite a Green solution too. But this does not power Playstations or Sky TV, just electric light. No weight training either, just out there during the day on road works with prominently coloured prison clothing. I'm sure most law-abiding people would burst into spontaneous applause if this were announced. Quango folks like McLeish would have noses out of joint but - so what?
If DTTO's are being treated with almost complete contempt it's time to rack up the pressure and stop being so nice to criminals.
Sentences have to mean something and something has gone drastically wrong with these orders. 90% failure rate must inform even the most lily-livered liberal that all is not well!
Jail terms with hard labour would be an unwelcome surprise for the re-offenders. Making prisons pleasant is just rewarding criminality. Maybe time to draft in that Texan(?) sherrif who puts the crims on a no-nonsense regime in tented prisons and has them generating their electric power by static bicycles powered by the inmates. So it's quite a Green solution too. But this does not power Playstations or Sky TV, just electric light. No weight training either, just out there during the day on road works with prominently coloured prison clothing. I'm sure most law-abiding people would burst into spontaneous applause if this were announced. Quango folks like McLeish would have noses out of joint but - so what?
Posted by: britfree, camelon on 1:56am Sat 19 Jul 08
how predictable that the first post would be from some inadequate taking the time to convince himself of his assumed moral superiority over some desperately broken fellow citizen . you are as sad as any junkie , mate . what a little man you are
how predictable that the first post would be from some inadequate taking the time to convince himself of his assumed moral superiority over some desperately broken fellow citizen . you are as sad as any junkie , mate . what a little man you are
Posted by: derek livingston on 7:12am Sat 19 Jul 08
The stats don't tell us that much. I'd like to know how many convictions those on dtto's had in the 2 years prior to the order and how many in the 2 years after. My anecdotal impression is that although there is a high level of reoffending the frequency is substantially reduced compared to what had gone before.
Generally those who receive dtto's have been through the court system with considerable frequency over a number of years.
The stats don't tell us that much. I'd like to know how many convictions those on dtto's had in the 2 years prior to the order and how many in the 2 years after. My anecdotal impression is that although there is a high level of reoffending the frequency is substantially reduced compared to what had gone before.
Generally those who receive dtto's have been through the court system with considerable frequency over a number of years.
Posted by: wee folding bike on 12:23pm Sat 19 Jul 08
[quote] No weight training either, just out there during the day on road works with prominently coloured prison clothing. I'm sure most law-abiding people would burst into spontaneous applause if this were announced.[/quote]
Not if they have a road repair business.
No weight training either, just out there during the day on road works with prominently coloured prison clothing. I'm sure most law-abiding people would burst into spontaneous applause if this were announced.
Not if they have a road repair business.
Posted by: JohnM, Perth on 1:22pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Britfree -
The "desperately broken citizen" go their under their own steam - it was a choice they made in life which was wrong. Not sure if you're familiar with that concept. Getting them back on board is the objective, not rewarding failing conduct with ineffective measures.
Britfree -
The "desperately broken citizen" go their under their own steam - it was a choice they made in life which was wrong. Not sure if you're familiar with that concept. Getting them back on board is the objective, not rewarding failing conduct with ineffective measures.
Posted by: britfree, camelon on 2:17pm Sat 19 Jul 08
no weight training , john is puny and wants to keep the crims as puny as him . you dont want re-habilitation , you are a curtain twitcher of the soul . what a sad wee man . everyone has a story, its just a shame johns is mein kampf
no weight training , john is puny and wants to keep the crims as puny as him . you dont want re-habilitation , you are a curtain twitcher of the soul . what a sad wee man . everyone has a story, its just a shame johns is mein kampf
Posted by: allymax, police brutality @ G8 Glenaeagles on 7:36pm Sat 19 Jul 08
JohnM, your hang-em flog-em nasty ideology is only worthy of ridicule. And I will ridicule you.
First of all, you sound like a copper. That being said, it's not that difficult for all others to understand your nasty ethics towards your fellow Scottish citizens. Because you are a copper your guilt at oppressing your fellow Scottish citizen is reproachable. The only way you save yourself reproaching your nasty ways is to use the Nazi ideals of paranoid schizoid projection. You oppress, subjugate, bully and criminalise your fellow citizens. The only way you can facilitate your uncomfortable reproached feelings is to denigrate those who you oppress and criminalise. Therefore you project your nasty guilt onto those who you criminalise and denigrate, then you don't have to feel your guilt at your nasty police methods. All police in Scotland are delusional in the manner that it affords them not to reproach their nasty selves. Therefore, even when you're wrong, you are delusional to still think you're right, thus you continue to denigrate those who you have oppressed with hang-em flog-em ideals on public forums. You believe if it's in print on a public forum then you are not guilty; but you are. The only people that are the hang-em flog-em mob are mostly the nasty police, or wierdo's like yourself.
Now your neurosis has been explained either change your job, or get professional help. But don't think just because you vent your neurosis on these forums you are exorcising your disease; you still are a nasty policeman/policewoma
n.
Keystones, I laugh everytime.
JohnM, your hang-em flog-em nasty ideology is only worthy of ridicule. And I will ridicule you.
First of all, you sound like a copper. That being said, it's not that difficult for all others to understand your nasty ethics towards your fellow Scottish citizens. Because you are a copper your guilt at oppressing your fellow Scottish citizen is reproachable. The only way you save yourself reproaching your nasty ways is to use the Nazi ideals of paranoid schizoid projection. You oppress, subjugate, bully and criminalise your fellow citizens. The only way you can facilitate your uncomfortable reproached feelings is to denigrate those who you oppress and criminalise. Therefore you project your nasty guilt onto those who you criminalise and denigrate, then you don't have to feel your guilt at your nasty police methods. All police in Scotland are delusional in the manner that it affords them not to reproach their nasty selves. Therefore, even when you're wrong, you are delusional to still think you're right, thus you continue to denigrate those who you have oppressed with hang-em flog-em ideals on public forums. You believe if it's in print on a public forum then you are not guilty; but you are. The only people that are the hang-em flog-em mob are mostly the nasty police, or wierdo's like yourself.
Now your neurosis has been explained either change your job, or get professional help. But don't think just because you vent your neurosis on these forums you are exorcising your disease; you still are a nasty policeman/policewoma
n.
Keystones, I laugh everytime.
Posted by: allymax, police brutality @ G8 Gleneagles on 7:38pm Sat 19 Jul 08
And, as far as the rubbish you cite for retribution, why don't you go and live in Texas? If Scotland was controlled by american people and american ideals then it wouldn't be Scotland; it would be america you fool.
And, as far as the rubbish you cite for retribution, why don't you go and live in Texas? If Scotland was controlled by american people and american ideals then it wouldn't be Scotland; it would be america you fool.
Posted by: Alex, Portugal on 2:52pm Sun 20 Jul 08
To all the woolly idiotic bleeding heart liberals on this thread; your attacks on JohnM are indicative of what is wrong with our country. We’re supporting the criminal and punishing the victims. And before any of the PC brigade give me any pish about the Junkies being victims, they volunteered to be junkies and in doing so committed a criminal act. Ergo they are criminals and must be treated as such.
If, like any other criminal, they are prepared to make the effort to return to NORMAL society then of course we should help then re-habilitate. Doing “Cold Turkey” to come off the drug supported by hard physical work in a tough regime would be a good form of aversion therapy and should form part of their treatment.
If you talk to normal good people you will find this is the majority view. That it differs markedly from the view of you bombastic Liberal imbeciles is just tough! You are in a minority – a very small minority!
To all the woolly idiotic bleeding heart liberals on this thread; your attacks on JohnM are indicative of what is wrong with our country. We’re supporting the criminal and punishing the victims. And before any of the PC brigade give me any pish about the Junkies being victims, they volunteered to be junkies and in doing so committed a criminal act. Ergo they are criminals and must be treated as such.
If, like any other criminal, they are prepared to make the effort to return to NORMAL society then of course we should help then re-habilitate. Doing “Cold Turkey” to come off the drug supported by hard physical work in a tough regime would be a good form of aversion therapy and should form part of their treatment.
If you talk to normal good people you will find this is the majority view. That it differs markedly from the view of you bombastic Liberal imbeciles is just tough! You are in a minority – a very small minority!
Posted by: Alex, Portugal on 2:54pm Sun 20 Jul 08
allymax, police brutality
You sound like one of the anarchist junkies needing a fix!
allymax, police brutality
You sound like one of the anarchist junkies needing a fix!
Posted by: allymax, police brutality @ G8 Gleneagles on 5:42pm Mon 21 Jul 08
Alex, Portugal, what is wrong with our country is thick-headed bombastic fascists like you. If someone has a differing opinion about the state of our nation do you not think it is your responsibilty to argue your point against mine in a debate? Of-course it is. But you don't; no, you just head straight for the slander keys on your lap-top. You sound like a copper, or one of those stasi suits that can see and hear noting but yourselves.
I'm not an anarchist, and I'm certainly not a junkie either. If you had any sense, rahter than the non-sense you espouse here on these forums, (like the crap about ignoring trolls; the point of having these forums is debate not ignorance), you would recognise a well educated political lobbyist. As for you; not bothered, I don't care what you are or do.
Alex, Portugal, what is wrong with our country is thick-headed bombastic fascists like you. If someone has a differing opinion about the state of our nation do you not think it is your responsibilty to argue your point against mine in a debate? Of-course it is. But you don't; no, you just head straight for the slander keys on your lap-top. You sound like a copper, or one of those stasi suits that can see and hear noting but yourselves.
I'm not an anarchist, and I'm certainly not a junkie either. If you had any sense, rahter than the non-sense you espouse here on these forums, (like the crap about ignoring trolls; the point of having these forums is debate not ignorance), you would recognise a well educated political lobbyist. As for you; not bothered, I don't care what you are or do.
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