KEEP EYE ON NEW DRUG COURT

NSW people should watch with interest over the next year or two to see what
happens when Australia's first court exclusively for drug addicts will be
operating at Parramatta under a $5 million State Government trial next year.

The Premier, Mr Carr, said the two-year trial, based on American-style drug
courts, will aim to rehabilitate addicts instead of jailing them.

People who steal or deal small quantities of drugs may escape jail by
entering a 12-month treatment program.

But people facing charges for sexual offences or offences involving
violence will not be allowed into the program.

Mr Carr told Parliament people eligible for the drug court would have
committed non-violent theft (including stealing or unarmed robbery that did
not cause physical harm), possession or dealing in small quantities of
drugs or fraud or forgery. They must plead guilty.

I believe that if they are given an opportunity to rehabilitate they should
be serious about it, if not they should get sent directly to jail, not pass
go and not collect $200. In other words, they only get one chance.

We need a few new ideas like this to help stop the drug menace of the '90s.
What the Government needs to do is get serious about the problem and be
willing to spend some real money and stop pandering to the drug culture and
the civil libertarians.

Warren Woodley, November 10, Tamworth.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski