Jane accessed the Release legal
surgeries inWest London. She had
been sexually abused as a child
and had ended up addicted to
heroin and crack cocaine. Jane had
been sold on by a drug dealer she
was in a relationship with to
someone he owed money to – and
this was not the first time this had
happened to her. She was in a
desperate state when she accessed
the advice service, and really
wanted to get out of the situation
she was in. She was starting to
address her substance misuse with
the team at the drug project, but
felt it was hopeless as she was still
under the control of the man she
had been sold to. The Release legal
advisor immediately contacted a
refuge and got her housed
temporarily while a long-term
solution was sought. Representa-
tions were made to the local
homeless persons unit and she
was finally housed in temporary
accommodation in a different
borough. Jane has now stabilised
her drug use and is working
towards rebuilding her life.
Shauna had been subject to a
violent physical attack. The attack
had had a profound effect on her
mental health and she was
diagnosed with post-traumatic
stress disorder. A legal advisor
assisted her with a claim for
criminal injuries, but it was refused
on the grounds that Shauna had
not properly assisted the police
with their investigation and she
was considered an unreliable
witness because of her history of
drug and alcohol abuse. An appeal
was lodged and evidence was
collected from the police, which
demonstrated that Shauna had
contacted the police repeatedly
but that the matter had not been
investigated properly. The appeal
was successful and Shauna was
awarded £18,000 compensation.
John, a drugs worker from
Manchester, contacted the helpline
as their project had been
approached by the police to
disclose information about one of
the clients accessing the service.
He wanted to know if he had to
disclose this information. One of
the legal advisors on the helpline
explained the circumstances in
which police can obtain such infor-
mation and that in most circum-
stances a court order would be
required. The advisor explained to
John that if he were to unlawfully
disclose the information, he would
be in breach of confidentiality and
the Data Protection Act.
CASE STUDIES
excluded from society – and their problematic drug
use means that they are stigmatised further. There
is always much talk about client-led services, but at
each of the ten venues in London where this service
is provided on a weekly basis it is always one of the
most used and most popular.
The clients who see Release lawyers are often
struck by how compassionate they are and how
effective they are in ensuring that high quality legal
services are delivered. One client, who accesses the
legal outreach project in West London, said: ‘All the
legal advisors are amazing, they make you feel that
you can come to them about anything and that they
are on your side.’ He explained his own case: ‘I
accessed the service because my incapacity benefit
had been stopped and I had no income. The legal
adviser at Release put in an appeal on my behalf
and represented me at the hearing. I was terrified, I
had to use before I went to the hearing. Once I got
there my legal adviser explained my situation to the
judge. She supported me when I was asked
questions by the panel. In the end we won, and I was
so relieved I just broke down crying there and then.’
It is the delivery of these services and the
experiences of the clients that drives Release’s
policy and campaign work. The team at Release
advocate for the rights of their clients and address
policy areas which potentially could create greater
harm. The organisation successfully led on lobbying
against mandatory treatment for benefit claimants
with drug problems proposed under the Welfare
Reform Bill. The Nice People Take Drugs campaign
launched in 2009 set out to challenge the stigma
faced by those who use drugs and was the result of
the experiences of many of the clients accessing
the services.
Unlike other areas of social policy, for example
housing or ex-offenders, there are very few
organisations in the drugs field willing to be
outspoken and to challenge unfair policies or
practices on behalf of this client group. At a time
when the austerity package announced by the
government will undoubtedly disproportionately
impact on the most vulnerable, it is imperative that
organisations like Release are supported. DDN
7 February 2011 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 9
Cover story |
Services under threat
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
HE TELEPHONE
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you are a commissioner anywhere in
the country please remember that
Release is your service, providing
unique expertise to your constituents.
If every DAT area sent Release just
£1,000 before the end of the financial
year, the helpline would be saved.
If you are one of the major service
providers contact us to arrange our
popular and well used legal surgeries
at your projects. Alternatively,
purchase our online legal manual to
enable and protect your staff.
If you believe that the civil liberties of
drug users are equally important to
everyone else’s and you want a
service that fights for this principle,
please write to your MP.
Go to our website, www.release.org.uk
and make a donation – right now
every penny counts!