AN INVESTIGATION into the menace of binge drinking, drugs and crime in York has been given a new focus.

The team behind the probe is expected to concentrate on four main issues of public concern in an attempt to shed light on links between alcohol and drugs and problems of antisocial behaviour, and to trigger targeted action.

Possible links between shoplifting and drug dependency are likely to come under closer scrutiny, along with under-age drinking and related antisocial behaviour, city centre crime related to alcohol and binge drinking, and domestic crime related to alcohol and binge drinking.

The study into the potential links between drugs, binge drinking and crime is being undertaken by City of York Council's economic, development and community safety scrutiny board.

Scrutiny boards oversee, monitor and consider areas covered by the council executive, from recycling to community safety.

They can launch an investigation if they find any gaps in policies to assess what action should be taken.

The cultural issue of under-age drinking in public and binge drinking has come under the spotlight recently.

North Yorkshire Police revealed that targeted research from the Don't Die Young initiative in Selby last year found that, out of more than 1,000 13 to 14-year-olds in Selby, 41 per cent admitted drinking alcohol once a week.

A further 24 per cent of that age group drank unsupervised in public, seven per cent bought alcohol for themselves, and 21 per cent got an adult to buy it for them.

The findings led members of the economic, development and community safety scrutiny board to question what the situation was in York.

Council scrutiny officer Ruth Sherratt is the author of a report going to board members at a meeting next Monday, outlining the progress of the investigation.

Members will be asked to agree to the four research areas and support a proposed timetable of action which will involve confidential questionnaires being sent out to public and private partner agencies.

Talks will then take place with partners to establish steps for improvement.

Councillors will be asked to approve a possible meeting with Chief Inspector Andy Hirst, of North Yorkshire Police, who presented the Don't Die Young findings, to highlight the crime figures for York.

Parliamentary Question Time or round table-style discussions are also expected to take place with bodies such as the local primary care trust, the hospital trust, York Alcohol Advisory Service, the Probation Service, the police and council housing chiefs.

It is possible that former drug or alcohol addicts will be involved.

Updated: 10:14 Monday, January 17, 2005