Courts try to treat addicts (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Courts try to treat addicts

MORE than half the burglars caught in Swindon and Wiltshire escaped a jail term last year, according to new figures.

A Home Offices report shows 233 criminals were sentenced for breaking into houses or commercial properties with 92 being sent to prison and 141 being handed non-custodial sentences.

Most burglaries in Swindon are committed by criminals stealing to finance their drug addictions.

One of the town's leading criminal defence lawyers Rob Ross says the figures suggest that courts are beginning to recognise that drug treatment and community rehabilitation orders are good alternatives to prison.

He said: "Custody isn't always a solution to a drug problem. It's usually extension to the problem."

Mr Ross said that Drug Treatment and Testing Orders allow positively motivated people to get treatment which may well turn them around.

"We are still sending the majority of dwelling burglars to prison, which is what public want, but the courts are starting to recognise that DTTOs are a good alternative," he said.

There are two drug treatment and testing units in Swindon the Swindon Alcohol and Drug Advisory Centre (SWADS) in Milton Road and Druglink in Victoria Road.

David Cork, manager of Druglink, which deals with around 40 people a day, said: "It all depends on the motivation.

"You can't just send someone to have treatment, but treatment programmes are worthwhile investments.

"The reality is that they will work if people are motivated."