GOVERNMENT is launching a complete review of drug rehabilitation programmes in a fresh offensive against recidivism.

Drug Control Minister Wayne Perinchief yesterday agreed that many crimes were committed by a handful of addicts who were repeatedly incarcerated but who returned to a life of crime as soon as they were released.

At a press conference to announce the creation of a National Steering Committee for Drugs, Mr. Perinchief, a former senior police officer, confirmed that an expert had already been drafted in from the UK by Public Safety Minister Randy Horton.

And he acknowledged that current treatments for prisoners were not arresting the revolving door of addiction, crime and incarceration. "We have already started looking at problems with recidivism ? people who continue to offend throughout their lives ? and we have already found holes in the net," Mr. Perinchief said.

"We appreciate that the programmes in the prisons have been less than effective and that's a problem we are addressing. In the continuum of drug education and abatement, from education right through to treatment and rehabilitation and bringing the person back into the community, certainly recidivism is at the end of the spectrum that's dealing with prisoners, getting them treated and bringing them back as a whole person back into the community.

"After the review there will be I would say very in-depth reform. We're looking at the whole issue with a new perspective, in other words all bets are off, any strategies that we are conducting now will be reviewed and we intend to come up with a continuum of strategies across the whole spectrum of how we deal with drugs in this country. It's a fresh brush approach."

Last year Mr. Horton pledged an all-out assault on drugs and suggested that the inadequacy of drug rehabilitation programmes at Westgate was contributing to serial re-offending.

"No rehabilitation programme in Bermuda is perfect or completely effective or there would not be any re-offenders," he said. "This has become one of my major focuses and now that we've resolved a number of administrative issues within the corrections system, I'm confident the substance abuse programmes can move forward and expand."

Prior to Mr. Pernichief's statement, Premier Alex Scott issued his own rallying cry against abuse.

"The Government recognises the toll that drugs take on our young and our old in spiritual, sociological and physical ways," Mr. Scott said.

"We also know that not only is the drug addict destroyed, so is his or her family and loved ones. Not only is the dealer spiritually bankrupt, but society is being denied human capital. Drug impact neighbourhoods create fear and this situation is untenable in a country where both the Government and citizens are demonstrating every day their determination to reduce the use and abuse of drugs in Bermuda.

"Drugs drive crime, drugs destroy families, drugs tear at the fabric of our society ? these are not just statements without meaning, the physical evidence is all around us."

The National Steering Committee for Drugs will be responsible for the development of strategies for slashing drug supply and demand, the development of a National Drug Master Plan and "ensuring the co-operation of all stakeholders to ensure integrated implementation of that plan", the Premier said.

"The committee is also responsible for the regular review, tracking and feedback of the implementation programmes as presented by the National Drug Control Secretariat."