DRUG CAUTIONS JUDGED A SUCCESS

Victoria's experimental drug-user cautioning program appears to be working,
with new figures revealing that one drug offender a week has been diverted
from the criminal justice system to treatment agencies.

First offenders caught using or possessing small quantities of illicit
drugs other than cannabis have been cautioned and directed to treatment
under the pilot program, now more than halfway through.

Possession remains an offence, and those who do not comply with their
treatment program, or refuse to be cautioned, are charged.

The trial, begun in the Broadmeadows area five months ago, was extended to
several western suburbs including Altona North, Footscray, Sunshine and
Williamstown.

The new figures, released by police, reveal that 18 people have been
cautioned about drug use since the trial began. Most were caught with
heroin. Fourteen of those put on the program have been male. They have
ranged in age from 15 to 38 years.

First offenders caught with small amounts of illicit drugs are eligible for
the drug diversion pilot if they:

Have no prior drug conviction.

Admit the offence.

Consent to being cautioned.

Agree to professional assessment and treatment.

No other drug offence is involved.

First-time drug offenders pulled over for a minor traffic offence can be
fined for the traffic offence but still take part in the program.

Chief Superintendent Peter Driver, the district commander of the district
where the trial started, said: "I think the strict law-enforcement approach
to illicit drug use has been shown that, in itself, it has not worked. It's
good to be able to adopt more of a community-based approach, of harm
minimisation, early intervention and treatment."

He said the pilot program tried to get people out of the criminal justice
system and treated, with an element of compulsion, as quickly as possible.
He said he was not aware of any novice users who received a caution but
then did not attend treatment.

The Health Minister, Mr Rob Knowles, said the trial was progressing well.
"I think all of the evidence at this stage shows that it's a worthwhile
exercise, of trying to get much earlier detection and a diversion out of
the criminal justice system into treatment and rehabilitation."

He said it was important to help and treat illicit drug users before their
drug use became entrenched.

The trial - which ends in May but may be extended statewide after it is
evaluated - is a police initiative operating under the discretionary powers
of the chief commissioner, Mr Neil Comrie.

"If he reached the conclusion that this was a better approach and wanted to
apply it statewide, then obviously the Government would support that," Mr
Knowles said.

Many of the people cautioned have been referred to the Youth Substance
Abuse Service in Fitzroy. Its manager, Ms Fran Holgate, said most knew
little about the dangers of heroin. "Most of them haven't had any
significant problem related to their drug use, so this is a bit of a scare
for them."