Adam (not his real name) started using heroin when he was just 14. He was addicted for nearly 15 years. From age 15 he was in and out of remand homes and later prison for theft and burglaries committed to fund his habit.
In 2009 he completed a detox programme and had been free from drugs for a short time when he was convicted of robbery. Desperate not to go to prison again and to avoid using drugs, Adam was offered an Intensive Alternative to Custody (IAC) Order.
