How can police forces best build confidence that drug supply is being effectively tackled locally?
There needs to be a balance regarding media attention around drug supply. It is too easy to stigmatise areas where there is a lot of dealing going on, if the area is constantly featured in the press, and this can work against police and partnership targets to reduce the perception of drug use/dealing. Feedback should instead be given to individuals living in an area via concentrated publicity to smaller neighbourhoods, as part of a wider communications strategy. General media reports should be made on bigger issues such as increased use of punishments via the criminal justice system Do the police and local communities have all the powers they need to tackle anti-social behaviour related to drug dealing and use? We do not feel the issues is whether or not the police and communities have the powers but more that the Criminal Justice System doesn’t support the powers. There should be more powers for conditions on licence including need to develop community payback. In addition the possibl
