Binge-drinking in town and city centres has become a hot topic in recent times.

In the last year, alcohol-free zones have been introduced in Welsh towns, including Holyhead, Flint and Cwmbran in an effort to curb trouble.

Wales' four main parties have pledged to penalise pub and club owners selling alcohol to underage or drunk customers.

There have also been police initiatives to tackle drink-related disorder in Swansea.

VEHICLE AND OTHER THEFT IN WALES Total offences - 26,330 Offences per 1,000 population - 9 Offences per 1,000 England/Wales population - 10.3 Source: Home Office, Jan-March 2004

Some of those dealing with problems of drug abuse in Wales believe more should be done to rehabilitate those who have become involved in drugs.

Anita Walters, who runs a support centre in Penywaun, near Aberdare, for drug addicts and their families, said drugs were the cause of most crime, but treatment was the best solution.

She added: "We haven't got residential rehabilitation and we need it.

"Whoever is in government next - put your money into drugs, because if you are going to fight crime, you have to fight drugs."

Crime and policing in Wales remains an electoral issue

All four main parties in Wales have similar policies on rehabilitation of people who misuse drugs, although while the Tories said they would re-classify cannabis from a Class C to Class B drug, Plaid Cymru said the "war on drugs" had failed.

Every party is agreed on one solution to problems of crime and disorder - more police on the streets.

While official figures indicate crime is falling, the parties are united in acknowledging the need to tackle a widespread fear of crime among the public.

A record 140,000 police officers are employed in Wales and England, according to Labour, with rises in all four Welsh forces.

But all the main Welsh parties have pledged to boost the number of bobbies on the beat - helped by further reductions in form-filling by officers.

POLICE NUMBERS IN WALES South Wales Police - 3,316 in March 2005 (3,108 in March 2001) North Wales Police - 1,695 in April 2005 (1,444 in April 2001) Gwent Police - 1,423 in September 2004 (1,334 in September 2001) Dyfed-Powys Police - 1,178 in March 2005 (1,059 in March 2001) Total: 7,612 (6,945 in 2001) Source: Welsh police forces

The main Welsh parties differ, however, on how many offenders should be dealt with in the court system.

While Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems have called for a greater emphasis on rehabilitation of offenders, Labour have pledged "tougher sentences" for many offences along with rehabilitation with the Tories calling for 20,000 extra prison places in Wales and England.

But some of those working in the courts said a public perception that offenders were often treated leniently by the legal system was inaccurate.

Elliott Griffiths, a magistrate in Swansea, said: "When magistrates go out into the community to tell (the public) what their work involves and give them sample cases, members of the public generally punish people less than we do in court.