【一起听英语】降低犯罪率

针对毒品，如何降低犯罪率？来听听他们怎么说.......

Neil: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. In this

programme we talk about a story in the news and learn some new

vocabulary while we’re doing it. I’m Neil and joining me today is Jen. Hi

there, Jen.

Jen: Hello Neil.

Neil: Now, we have a very controversial topic this week – drugs.

Jen: Yes, that’s a subject which usually provokes some strong opinions.

Neil: A new report published in the UK is suggesting that by taking away the

criminal penalties for some illegal drug use, you can reduce the number of

people who get sent to court for drug crime every year.

Jen: This sounds like an introduction to our quiz question...

Neil: Yes you’re right! I want to know how many people get sent to court in the

UK every year for drug-related offences. Is it:

a) 4,200

b) 42,000

c) 420,000

Jen: Well I think it might be quite high. I’ll go with c) 420,000.

Neil: OK then, we will find out at the end of the programme. Now Jen, what do

you think is more harmful: illegal drugs or junk food?

Jen: My reaction would be to say illegal drugs. Am I right?

Neil: Let’s listen to the first part of this report from the BBC’s John McManus.

What does the study from the UK Drug Policy Commission say about drug

use and social problems?

Insert

Monday's report from the UK Drug Policy Commission says the way to reduce this

number is to make some offences less serious. It says that drug use doesn't always lead

to social problems, and that taking illegal substances can sometimes be tolerated by

society, in the same way that gambling 2 and eating junk food are.

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Neil: The report says that drug use doesn’t always lead to social problems and

that taking illegal substances can sometimes be tolerated – meaning

accepted – by society.

Jen: The report compares taking drugs to other vices 4, such as gambling and

eating junk food. Can you explain what a ‘vice 3’ is?

Neil: Yes, a vice is a bad habit or type of behaviour: things such as smoking,

drinking too much alcohol, swearing… gambling or betting. Oh and taking

drugs, of course.

Jen: So, the argument is that a limited amount of drug taking is on a par 1 with

other bad habits which are not usually considered as dangerous as drug

taking.

Neil: Yes, that’s right. Now, what are the implications of this report?

Implications are the conclusions you can draw from something, such as a

piece of research like this.

Jen: The implications of this report are that a lot of money could be saved if we

didn’t send so many people to court for small-scale drug use. Do you

know how much the UK spends on tackling drugs every year?

Neil: Hang on here, Jen, I’m the quiz master!

Jen: Go on, have a guess! Millions or billions?

Neil: OK, I’ll go high like you did - billions?

Jen: Yes, billions of dollars is spent. Here’s the UK Drug Policy Commission’s

Chief Executive, Roger Howard. What does he think the UK should do to

save money and send fewer people to court?

Insert

We do say that if you look at other countries like the Czech Republic, if you look at

Switzerland, if you look at Portugal and if you look in places in South America, these… a

number of countries have taken away the criminal penalties for the possession of small

amounts of drugs. Now we think that can be tried in this country, and to keep within the

international conventions you can replace that with civil penalties.

Neil: He thinks that criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of

drugs should be removed.

Jen: He says it’s worked in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal and

South America and that it should be tried in the UK.

Neil: But in order to keep within international conventions – meaning

agreements - civil penalties should be introduced.

Jen: But does everybody agree?

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Neil: Good question! Listen to the last part of this report from the BBC’s John

McManus.

Insert

The report, which recommends replacing jail sentences with fines or drug treatment

orders, says that much official government policy towards drug users has been

formulated 5 without any real evidence as to whether it works. The authorities though, say

that their approach has led to drug use dropping to its lowest levels since records began.

Neil: No, not everybody agrees. The report recommends replacing jail

sentences with fines or drug treatment orders. It also says that there’s no

real evidence that current drug policy has worked.

Jen: But the authorities disagree. They say their approach has led to drug use

dropping to its lowest level since records began.

Neil: No doubt the debate about how to reduce drug use will carry on for a long

time. We’d be interested in hearing your opinion. Why not check out our

Facebook page and leave a comment?

Jen: Before we go, Neil, aren’t you going give the answer to the quiz?

Neil: Oh yes, of course. I asked how many people get sent to court in the UK

every year from drug-related offences. Is it:

a) 4,200

b) 42,000

c) 420,000

Jen: I thought it was quite high: I said c) 420,000.

Neil: Well, you must have a very low opinion of the British population. It is high

but it’s not that high. The answer in b) 42,000. Just time now for a recap

of some of the words we heard in today’s programme:

Jen: tolerated, vices, gambling, on a par with, implications, conventions, civil.

Neil: Join us again soon for more 6 Minute English from