By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Independent report backs Drug Court success…
THE report is in – there’s a cheaper and more effective way to right drug-addicted repeat-criminals than locking them in jail.
And it’s been running in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court for the past 13 years.
A long-awaited independent evaluation of the state’s only drug court last week confirmed the its annecdotal success, including tackling the well-publicised ice scourge.
Speaking after the KPMG report’s launch on Thursday, the court’s magistrate Tony Parsons pressed the case for expanding the “flavour-of-the-month” program.
The cost of the court’s drug treatment orders (DTOs) is $70 a day per offender, compared to $270 a day for prisoners who were found significantly more likely to re-offend.
The report found offenders on DTOs were 29 per cent less likely to reoffend than a control group of offenders who had been jailed for two years for similar offences.
Mr Parsons said this result was “striking” particularly given all of the DTO offenders had entrenched addictions and had been in jail “more than once” before.
“There is a massive saving to the taxpayer,” Mr Parsons said.
“It’s a significantly effective program in terms of the recovery of people with entrenched drug addictions and relieves the burden of crime on the community in a very significant way.”
The court uses a carrot-and-stick approach – an intensive two-year regime of constant reporting to Mr Parsons, urine-testing, rehabilitation, housing, vocational and welfare support coupled with the dangling threat of jail.
Mr Parsons pointed to the“measurable and considerable” improvement in the mental and physical health of offenders who saw out the program.
The report found the regime was slightly more effective for ‘ice’ users than heroin users – despite ice having no medical treatment program equivalent to methadone.
“That’s exciting,” Mr Parsons said.
“The drug court is applying best practice in terms of ice use.
“We’re sure the combination (of supervision and supports) is producing a positive result.”
The report also found the DTO cohort had a 90 per cent reduction in trafficking offences compared to an increase for the incarcerated group.
Both groups, however, committed significantly more theft offences, the report found.
A recent state inquiry into ‘ice’ recommended an expansion of the drug court into other regions.
Mr Parsons said the magistrates’ court was “ready, willing and able” to facilitate such a move.
“It’s ultimately a matter for the State Government,” Mr Parsons said.
“The government is tackling the scourge of ice – this is one effective way to approaching that.”
