What is the Drug Intervention Programme?

The Drug Interventions Programme (which was formerly known as CJIP or the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme), is a large-scale programme, established in April 2003, in England, as a critical part of the Government’s Updated Drug Strategy (2002). Its principal focus is to reduce drug related crime by engaging with drug users and, using a case management approach, moving them into appropriate treatment, retaining them in treatment and supporting them through and after treatment, whether in a custodial or community setting.

It aims to break the cycle of drug misuse, offending behaviour and custody by intervening at every stage of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) to engage offenders in drug treatment.

In order to do so, it has built on the best existing interventions to create an integrated approach which enables appropriate and continuing engagement with an individual at arrest, on charge, in court, during and on completion of community and custodial sentences or statutory supervision in the community and on leaving treatment.

In 2004, the Home Office announced that Wales was to be included in the Throughcare and Aftercare Programme that was then being piloted in England.

As a result, the Welsh assembly government received funding to plan and implement this. To this end the Drug Intervention Programme was born and commencing in March 2006 across Wales. There are four DIP regions in Wales: South Wales, Gwent, Dyfed Powys and North Wales.

How does the Drug Intervention Programme work?

Drug misusers within the criminal justice system will have the opportunity to join the Drug Intervention Programme. Contact with the Programme will be made through the Courts, Police Stations, the Prisons, a 24 hour Helpline, the Internet or through self referral. They will have contact with Drug Workers who will conduct an assessment. Based on this, clients in the DIP programme will have a Care Plan developed that co ordinates the services available and match them to their needs