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DRUG COURTS CONT”D-

health of the participant, a recent
KPMG review of the drug court at Dan-
denong found that fifty-four percent of
participants showed a significant and
measurable reduction in risk of medical
and psychiatric problems and drug or
alcohol abuse. Additionally, KPMG
reported improved family and social
relationships, improved rates of
education and employment and Heroin
improved housing stability.
Participants’ motivation to change
increased and consequential thinking,
time management and accountability
improved.
Regarding the burden of crime on
the community, drug court participants
showed a 34% reduction in recidivism
and where re-offending occurred, DTO Maintenance
participant offences were 67% less
serious.
The court pays for itself and then
some. Bearing in mind that but for the
DTO, drug court participants would be
in jail, over the three years of the court
operations reviewed by KPMG the Trials
court saved the justice system the cost of
13,048 prison bed days per annum, a
direct fiscal benefit of $3.6m per year.
It doesn’t include the other savings like
the reduced costs to the courts and
police, our public health and social
security system, the child welfare HE R O IN MAIN T E NAN C E
system.
The savings are exponential.
TR E A TM E NT By Tamara Speed

So, that’s why people are talking
about drug courts. Like all courts,
they are open to the public. For decades, Victoria has been The fact that heroin maintenance
Come and have a look! adversely affected by heroin use, programs have been successfully
demonstrated by the number of implemented in various countries
heroin related overdoses, heroin overseas seems to have made little
HRVI C C ALL S O N related treatment admissions, and/or difference in Victoria.
TH E HIV and viral hepatitis transmissions
VI C TO R IAN related to heroin injecting.
G OVE R NME NT TO: Notwithstanding the increased B R IE F A U S T R AL I AN
expenditure on law enforcement and C H R ONOL O G Y
•I N V E S T I G AT E the expansion of drug treatment Over the years, there has been approxi-
C ATC H M EN T A R- regimens (including rehabilitation mately one major Commonwealth, State
or Territory official enquiry into illicit
E A S W H I C H WO U L D centres and pharmacotherapy drugs held every year, many of which
programs), heroin related harms
B EN EFI T FR O M T H E continue. The benefits to the have recommended a heroin mainte-
E S TA B L I S H M EN T O F A Victorian community from the nance trial in Australia. Despite these
implementation of a heroin years of debate, progress toward agreed
DRU G CO UR T. maintenance treatment program responses have been painfully slow.
would far outweigh the current Morag McArthur (1999) has suggested
situation and the lack of forward strident media campaigns and politi-
thinking or any forward movement cal will have negatively influenced the
with a program which has been outcomes of heroin response strategies,
discussed in Australia for over 30 including the establishment of heroin
years. maintenance therapy.

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