Crime and addiction

Sir, – Over 70 per cent of those who go to prison have an addiction. Many of the crimes that brought them there were drug-related. There are long waiting lists for those drug treatment centres that exist and in many parts of the country there are no treatment centres at all. If we want to reduce crime, would it not be more effective to invest in treatment options than in Garda overtime? – Yours, etc,

Fr PETER McVERRY SJ,

Jesuit Centre

for Faith and Justice,