Drug-users can be sent for treatment instead of imprisonment

And a majority of all of those who took part in the scheme went on to commit further crimes, the research found.

The government is spending �53 million this year on the projects.

They were introduced so that some drug users who commit crimes to pay for their habit are sent for treatment as an alternative to custody.

Drug testing

Only 30% of offenders on the Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) finished them, while 67% had their orders revoked.

The figures for reoffending published today are higher than we would like Paul Goggins Minister for correctional services

Among those who completed the order, just over half were reconvicted within two years, while 91% of those who failed to complete were reconvicted.

The order includes a requirement to attend the course, mandatory drug testing and court progress reviews.

The report says if drug treatment and testing order teams struggle to establish their programmes, and lack resources to deliver rapid and appropriate responses, they could become "expensive precursors to imprisonment".

It said the results of the study into three pilot schemes in Croydon, Gloucestershire and Liverpool were "less encouraging" than expected.

'Serious drug-misusing'

While saying that the treatment order was an "effective sentence", minister for the correctional services, Paul Goggins, did admit it was not as successful as anticipated.

"The figures for reoffending published today are higher than we would like, and too many offenders in the pilot areas failed to complete the programmes.

"They are returned to court, but given the nature of the target group, who were serious drug-misusing offenders, we should not be surprised by some of the difficulties they present."

Typical DTTO offenders may have committed four offences a day, averaged 42 previous convictions and spent about �400 a week feeding their drug habit, Mr Goggins said.

He added: "The impact on those who complete the order is quite marked."