Pubdate: Tue, 05 Apr 2016
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2016 Telegraph Media Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: Martin Evans

CANNABIS ARRESTS FALL BY NEARLY HALF AMID CLAIMS OF POLICE GOING SOFT

THERE are fears that cannabis is being legalised by the back door, 
after figures showed that arrests for possession have dropped by 
almost 50 per cent over the past five years.

The number of people being charged or cautioned for having the Class 
B drug has also fallen significantly, according to figures obtained 
under the Freedom of Information Act.

However, data from the annual Crime Survey of England and Wales 
suggest that the drop in offences has not been matched by a reduction 
in the number of people who admit using the drug, with around 7 per 
cent of adults saying they regularly smoke cannabis.

Figures showed that between 2010 and 2015 the number of arrests for 
cannabis possession fell from 35,367 to 19,115, while cautions 
dropped from 9,633 to 5,036 and those charged went down 15,366 to 10,220.

The reduction has been put down to a number of factors including 
shrinking police resources and the scaling back of stop-and-search by police.

But the figures also come amid increased calls among some police 
chiefs for a renewed debate on the decriminalisation of the drug.

Last summer, Mike Barton, the head of Durham Police, said it would no 
longer target people who grew the drug for their own personal use.

He said instead of arresting people they would be offered the 
opportunity to engage with a programme aimed at eradicating low-level 
offending. Outlining the scheme at the time, Durham's police and 
crime commissioner, Ron Hogg, said: "By and large we are saying it is 
not the top of our list to go out and try to pick up people smoking 
joints on street corners, but if it's blatant or we get complaints, 
officers will act."

Asked if the approach sent out a message that the drug was being 
legalised, Mr Barton said: "I'm not condoning drug use. I never have. 
It's freed up our staff to deal with things that are more important." 
He added that the force still had a zero tolerance approach to drug dealers.

While the policy came in for criticism at the time from anti-drug 
charities, it is thought other forces are adopting a similarly 
relaxed approach in order to direct resources elsewhere.

A Home Office spokesman said all crimes reported to the police should 
be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken 
through the courts, but added: "Decisions on individual 
investigations are an operational matter for chief constables based 
on the evidence available to them."

While arrests and prosecutions for possessing cannabis have fallen, 
police still appear to be targeting those who deal the drug, with 
figures rising from 4,934 in 2010 to 5,012 in 2015.
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