Publications

The emergence of drug treatment courts in Australia

Toni Makkai

Published in:
Substance use and misuse, 37(12-13), October/November 2002.

Abstract

After discussing the context for the emergence of drug treatment courts in Australia, this paper highlights the way in which the US concept of drug treatment courts was adopted and adapted by state politicians in attempts to deal with drug use related offenders. This response has been specifically targeted at repeat property offenders 'at risk' of imprisonment, and comes within the broad brush of harm minimisation strategies for diverting offenders with a drug use related problem away from the traditional criminal justice response of imprisonment. The paper also discusses implementation hiccups with the courts, criticisms of these, the findings of parts of the evaluation of the New South Wales Drug Court, and the prospects for the future of drug treatment courts in a federalist system.