Balanced view needed to new drug, alcohol treatment court - Drug Foundation

The Drug Foundation is welcoming the opening of a new Alcohol and Drug Treatment Court, but wants to see funding matched for prevention services.

The court was opened this morning by Justice Minister Kris Faafoi and Minister for Courts Aupito William Sio in Hamilton, and will be part of the District Court.

It is the third such court, after two were opened in Auckland recently.

Judges will still be able to impose sentences, but offenders will also be offered treatment, monitoring, drug testing and mentoring.

The government said such courts lead to a reduced rate of re-offending, and when there was re-offending, it was for less serious offences.

The Drug Foundation's Deputy Director of Programs Ben Birks Ang said he had seen how the courts worked for some people in Auckland.

"The effectiveness of this approach is heavily dependent on the offering of support, and the highly-targetted support that is available for people who are heavily entangled in the justice system.

"Once they've reached that side, or that complexity of issues, it does take a lot of investment to be able to support the change in pathway and rebuilding of connections across their relationships and with the community.

"There were people going through the drug courts in Auckland who were very successful, and they had massive changes in their life."

But he added for some people, it did not work.

"There isn't going to be any approach that is going to be a silver bullet, and that is why I think with this expansion of the drug court, we need to have a balanced view to it.

"While it's really important and very successful for some people who have a high degree of need going through that system, it cannot be the only option that we offer for addiction support.

"We need to make sure people don't have to have contact with the justice system to get easy access to addiction support."

That meant putting money into preventative and early-intervention services, for people who are facing difficulties, but have not yet had contact with the justice system.