YOUTH COURT FOR USERS GAINS SUPPORT

The push to establish a separate children's drug court gathered
momentum yesterday with a Drug Summit working group endorsing the proposal.

Chaired by the Juvenile Justice Minister, Ms Tebbutt, the group
resolved that a pilot program should be established within the
children's court system.

The bipartisan group also called for more alcohol and drug
detoxification and treatment services in the community and in juvenile
jails.

The senior Children's Court magistrate, Mr Stephen Scarlett, a member
of the working group, last week called for an expansion of the drug
court trial to include children and teenagers.

Mr Scarlett said the move would allow young people with alcohol and
drug problems to be diverted into rehabilitation rather than facing
jail terms.

In other preliminary resolutions tabled by working parties, the drug
and law enforcement group moved to support the plan of the Police
Commissioner, Mr Peter Ryan, to improve police powers in the fight
against illicit drugs.

The group, chaired by the Police Minister, Mr Whelan, called for an
urgent review of laws covering electronic surveillance, listening
devices and search warrants to examine ways to assist police in
targeting drug traffickers and dealers.

It also called for a review of provisions of the Bail Act to determine
whether bail could be made conditional on people entering treatment
programs.

Mr Ryan said yesterday existing legislation, particularly relating to
search warrants and conducting electronic surveillance, was too ambiguous.