Howard Roberts, the deputy chief constable of Nottinghamshire, has said heroin should be prescribed to drug addicts to tackle crime.

BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Daniel Sandford explains the statement:

Is he saying all heroin addicts should be given the drug?

He is not saying that all addicts should be given heroin.

What he is saying is those who are involved in massive levels of criminal activity to fuel their drug habit should be prescribed heroin.

We should think about giving them the drug to stop them stealing, he is suggesting.

What links exist between heroin addiction and crime?

A typical hardcore heroin addict needs about �15,000 of heroin a year to fuel their habit.

Many will have to steal, some as much as �45,000 worth of people's belongings because they cannot sell items at their real value.

So one heroin addict can potentially cost people �45,000.

How would the drug be administered?

The heroin would be given to people in a controlled environment by a nurse.

Some heroin addicts do get the drug from the NHS already.

About 300 addicts in the country are already given the substance by their doctors.

Usually these are older people with much less chaotic lifestyles.

About 100 are already on an experimental pilot programme doing what the officer is talking about.

He seems to be saying this appears to be working and we should think about doing this on a much wider scale.

Is this treatment or simply sanctioned drug use?

This would still be seen as a form of treatment with the hope of getting someone off their drug habit.

It is not just a way to give someone heroin for the rest of their lives.

But the view is that the first thing to do is try to prevent the crime.

And sometimes very serious crimes - even murder - is committed by hardcore heroin addicts.