KEEP AN EYE ON OFFENDERS

HEALTH professionals warned yesterday that without intense scrutiny and
regular audits, the multi-million-dollar drug abuse initiative in Western
Australia was doomed to fail.

In conjunction with Canberra, the West Australian Government yesterday
opened the way for drug courts and compulsory drug treatment programs for
first offenders to avoid criminal charges, in a bid to beat the nation's
mounting drug problem.

Heroin treatment doctor George O'Neil, who runs a private naltrexone clinic
for opiate addicts in Subiaco, called for twice-weekly urine tests on
offenders involved in detoxification and drug treatment programs.

"Like any new system, it has got the potential to be well run or badly run
and, unless there are very tight audits, it will not work," Dr O'Neil said.

National Drug Research Institute acting director Wendy Loxley said:

"Any scheme that reduces the chances of a first-time offender getting a
criminal conviction is a good idea. It can give them the opportunity to
say, "Good-oh, I won't do that again."

National civil liberties group People For Justice WA spokesman Greg
McIntyre said he was concerned that first-time offenders were instantly
entered into drug treatment.

Police Minister Kevin Prince said first-time drug offenders would be
exposed to the courts if they failed to co-operate.