COURT'S PROGRAM A SUCCESS, SAYS CHIEF MAGISTRATE

MORE than 70 per cent of Drug Court participants do not complete the
course and one-fifth who drop out go missing, the SA Drug Summit heard
yesterday.

But the program, which began in May, 2000, was hailed as a success by
South Australian Chief Magistrate Alan Moss, who wants up to $3.6
million a year to take the court statewide.

"They are pretty tough customers," he said.

Of the 117 people - 100 males and 17 females - taking part in the
court's first year, 24 per cent of males and 29 per cent of females
had graduated.

As far as he knew, they had not reoffended.

"It has been more successful than we dared hope," Mr Moss
said.

"Everyone who has succeeded is someone who won't be in your lounge
room stealing your DVD."

The results compared very favourably with the New South Wales drug
court. "In the first year of the program, the NSW court had gobbled up
$12 million and our court about $1.2 million . . . and our results
were approximately twice as good," Mr Moss said.

The court caters for adults in metropolitan areas who have committed a
drug-related offence and who are likely to face jail.

Offenders must be willing to plead guilty and be willing to co-operate
with the program, which involves counselling, therapy, drug
rehabilitation and court supervision. "This is not a soft option . . .
some people have found on the program that it's easier to go to jail,"
Mr Moss said.

He said the court catered for "people at the hardest end of the
market" rather than "first-timers", which meant the 30 per cent
success rate was an achievement.

But the results have been described as "disappointing" by Victims
Support Service chief executive Michael Dawson.

"There's a lot of money being spent on just a few clients, victims may
well be disappointed with the system which allows people to drop out
and disappear," he said. "We need diversionary strategies but we would
question whether the Drug Court is offering the best way forward."

Mr Moss said of those who did not graduate from the court, 29 per cent
did not comply with program guidelines, 30 per cent faced fresh
charges, the whereabouts of 19 per cent were unknown, 10 per cent
withdrew, 8 per cent had mental health issues, 2 per cent moved
interstate and 2 per cent had the major charge withdrawn.