Drug diversion schemes cut reoffending rates more than prosecution, study says

Exclusive: Research in England shows people a third less likely to reoffend under decriminalisation-style schemes Drug diversion schemes led by police that steer people away from the criminal justice system and into treatment and education services are significantly more effective in reducing reoffending than prosecution, according to a new analysis. Researchers examined outcomes across 13 English police forces and more than 62,000 criminal incidents over the past four years, finding that people whose cases were dealt with through decriminalisation-style diversion schemes were a third less likely to reoffend than similar individuals prosecuted for drug possession. A number of police forces in England use formal diversion schemes for people caught in possession of drugs, notably Durham, the West Midlands and Thames Valley. But many forces, even if would-be offenders are not often sent to prison for simple possession offences today, still officially take a law-and-order approach towards illegal drug use. Prof Alex Stevens, the acting director of the University of Sheffield’s Centre for Criminological Research, who led the research, said: “The evidence is now strong enough that all po

Jun 13, 2026 → Jun 13, 2026