Russell Webster
@russellwebster.com
940 followers 750 following 540 posts
Researcher, evaluator, consultant & writer in drugs, alcohol & criminal justice. My blog keeps you up-to-date on the latest policy, practice and research.
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russellwebster.com
UK deaths of 1,611 homeless people in 2024 is record high
The Museum of Homelessness says the figure is 9% higher than the year before, with the majority of deaths being linked to suicide or drugs, with spice and nitazines becoming increasingly deadly.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK deaths of 1,611 homeless people in 2024 is record high
Most are linked to suicide or drugs, with spice and nitazines increasingly deadly.
www.bbc.co.uk
russellwebster.com
Stephen Lawrence’s father says killer should name others before parole considered
Neville Lawrence, 83, is preparing for David Norris, now 49, to appear for first time to plead for his freedom
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Stephen Lawrence’s father says killer should name others before parole considered
Neville Lawrence, 83, is preparing for David Norris, now 49, to appear for first time to plead for his freedom
www.theguardian.com
russellwebster.com
Rise of the 'silver snorters'
The number of old age ‘silver snorters’ who have ended up in hospital for cocaine use has skyrocketed by a third in just two years.
Tabloid headline (& image) of the year?
metro.co.uk/2025/10/06/r...
Rise of the 'silver snorters': Is there a cocaine crisis among the elderly?
The number of 'silver snorters' is four and a half times higher than a decade ago.
metro.co.uk
russellwebster.com
There are 87,294 people in prison today, a fall of 42 people on last week and continuing the slow downwards trend of the last 5 weeks.
russellwebster.com
The UK’s first drug consumption room in Glasgow has said it may need to open overnight to keep up with demand from users of ‘very moreish’ cocaine.
Many are bingeing on cocaine later in the day and evening.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Drug consumption room may need to open overnight due to demand
The UK's first drug consumption room has said it may need to open overnight to keep up with demand from users of 'very moreish' cocaine.
www.dailymail.co.uk
russellwebster.com
Why are kids snorting pink cocaine?
It rarely contains cocaine or 2CB, is more likely to be a mixture of MDMA, ketamine and caffeine
It’s popular because it’s pink. A bright, lurid, Barbie Dreamhouse pink that really pops on Instagram.
via Max Daly
unherd.com/2025/10/why-...
Why are kids snorting pink cocaine?
unherd.com
russellwebster.com
Foreigners underrepresented among prisoners
Oxford University’s Migration Observatory analysis finds lower proportion of foreign inmates than would be expected if they were jailed at same rate as UK citizens of same age
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Foreigners underrepresented among prisoners in England and Wales, report finds
Analysis finds lower proportion of foreign inmates than would be expected if they were jailed at same rate as UK citizens of same age
www.theguardian.com
russellwebster.com
Comprehensive failures creating chaos, violence and fear at HMP Pentonville
Today @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social publish the report which resulted in an Urgent Notification of one of our oldest prisons in August
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...
cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com
russellwebster.com
Thanks for finding time to do this, Jon. Much appreciated
russellwebster.com
Ministers plan to allow naming and shaming of offenders completing community sentences
Introducing powers to photograph, name and shame offenders who have been ordered to complete unpaid community work
Party Politics in ascendancy over evidence
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/sep...
Ministers plan to allow naming and shaming of offenders completing community sentences
Exclusive: critics say the move, part of the sentencing bill for England and Wales, would bring shame upon families of offenders
www.theguardian.com
russellwebster.com
This is one of the reasons for the increasing popularity of long-lasting injectable buprenorphine #Buvidal