cannabisnews.com: Drug Cautions Judged a Success!





Drug Cautions Judged a Success!
Posted by FoM on January 31, 1999 at 17:27:57 PT
Interesting approach!
Victoria's experimental drug-user cautioning program appears to be working, with new figures revealing that one drug offender a week has been diverted from the criminal justice system to treatment agencies.
First offenders caught using or possessing small quantities of illicit drugs other than cannabis have been cautioned and directed to treatment under the pilot program, now more than halfway through.Possession remains an offence, and those who do not comply with their treatment program, or refuse to be cautioned, are charged.The trial, begun in the Broadmeadows area five months ago, was extended to several western suburbs including Altona North, Footscray, Sunshine and Williamstown.The new figures, released by police, reveal that 18 people have been cautioned about drug use since the trial began. Most were caught with heroin. Fourteen of those put on the program have been male. They have ranged in age from 15 to 38 years.First offenders caught with small amounts of illicit drugs are eligible for the drug diversion pilot if they:Have no prior drug conviction.Admit the offence.Consent to being cautioned.Agree to professional assessment and treatment.No other drug offence is involved.First-time drug offenders pulled over for a minor traffic offence can be fined for the traffic offence but still take part in the program.Chief Superintendent Peter Driver, the district commander of the district where the trial started, said: ``I think the strict law-enforcement approach to illicit drug use has been shown that, in itself, it has not worked. It's good to be able to adopt more of a community-based approach, of harm minimisation, early intervention and treatment.''He said the pilot program tried to get people out of the criminal justice system and treated, with an element of compulsion, as quickly as possible. He said he was not aware of any novice users who received a caution but then did not attend treatment.The Health Minister, Mr Rob Knowles, said the trial was progressing well. ``I think all of the evidence at this stage shows that it's a worthwhile exercise, of trying to get much earlier detection and a diversion out of the criminal justice system into treatment and rehabilitation.''He said it was important to help and treat illicit drug users before their drug use became entrenched.The trial - which ends in May but may be extended statewide after it is evaluated - is a police initiative operating under the discretionary powers of the chief commissioner, Mr Neil Comrie.``If he reached the conclusion that this was a better approach and wanted to apply it statewide, then obviously the Government would support that,'' Mr Knowles said.Many of the people cautioned have been referred to the Youth Substance Abuse Service in Fitzroy. Its manager, Ms Fran Holgate, said most knew little about the dangers of heroin. ``Most of them haven't had any significant problem related to their drug use, so this is a bit of a scare for them.'' By DARREN GRAY 
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