Four in 10 police forces ‘failing to screen suspects for gambling addiction’
Forces regularly screen arrested suspects for drug addiction but fail to include gambling
Four out of 10 police forces in England and Wales are failing to screen suspects of crime for gambling addiction, new data has shown.
Forces screen arrested suspects for drug or alcohol addicition as standard practice but many are failing to include gambling, a Freedom of Information request shared with the BBC has found.
Forty-one per cent of police forces don’t include gambling, something that critics say is leading to a lack of treatment for addicts and further offending.
Ben Jones told the BBC that he was not asked about his gambling habit when he was arrested, despite stealing £374,000 to feed the addiction.
He said that there was no help for him in prison either. “They have drug-recovery and alcohol-recovery programmes but nothing for gambling so the only support I could get was by going to AA [Alcoholics Anonymous meetings] because that was the only support I could get,” he said.
The Howard League for Penal Reform obtained the data. Lord Goldsmith, who chairs their Commission on Crime and Gambling Related Harms, said: “The police have got a lot to do - we have to recognise that - but this is not a terribly difficult thing to do.”
He added: “This is something that can be added to the screening processes. We want people to be aware of this problem.”
The Ministry of Justice said: “We understand the costs of gambling addiction to society, which is why prisoners are assessed and can be referred to treatment services when needed.
“New guidance had also been put in place for staff, so they are better equipped to deal with gambling addicts.
“We continue to work with groups across the criminal-justice system, to explore what further treatment for gambling addiction should be put in place for those in prison or on probation.”