Police awareness and practice regarding gambling related harms

• ISBN: 978-1-911114-69-7

• Published: 2022

• Pages: 60

• Publisher: The Howard League for Penal Reform

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Four in 10 police forces in England and Wales are missing opportunities to detect, and therefore deal with, crime linked to gambling because they do not ask about it when interviewing people in custody, research for the Commission on Crime and Gambling Related Harms reveals.

Although gambling harms and addiction have been found to be connected to offences including violence, theft, arson and criminal damage, only about two in 10 forces screen for them routinely in custody suites. Of the other forces, only half appear to be aware of the issue.

The findings have emerged from research conducted by Dr Helen Churcher of the Howard League for Penal Reform. It is the third major research project to be undertaken by the Commission, which was set up by the Howard League and is chaired by Lord Goldsmith QC.