Criminal justice

“Give needles to inmates” was the Dominion Post’s provocative headline when reporting on our “Alcohol and other drugs in the criminal justice system” policy, and a proposed Australian prison needle exchange has just been sunk after media controversy.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation supports the intention of the bill to acknowledge the multiple needs of youth offenders and their families and whanau by both extending the jurisdiction of the youth court and strengthening and expanding the orders available to youth courts in order to provide  more effective treatment and rehabilitation services.

The connection between youth offending and drug and alcohol use cannot be denied, contends Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft, and this is a non-negotiable source of concern for the courts. While dealing with young offenders’ drug and alcohol issues is complex, requiring a whole-of-community approach, judges must uphold their duty to eliminate illegal drug use by young people.

Over the course of two weeks in November 2007, Vietnamese courts condemned 35 people to death for drug related offences [1]. It was such a flurry of death sentences that even the media became interested after having ignored the issue for so long.

Policing legislation is under the spotlight. Mike Webb highlights alcohol and other drug related issues that have been explored as part of the government’s review and foreshadows what may feature in a draft bill later this year.

Our policy position, Reducing alcohol and other drug problems in New Zealand’s criminal justice system, outlines what we think are the ‘best buys’ for the government. As well as addressing the serious health needs among prisoners, these measures should go a long way towards reducing reoffending.

It’s been hard to miss recent media attention given to the problem of drugs within our corrections system. Keriata Stuart outlines some of these problems and what the Drug Foundation believes are ‘best buys’ in addressing them.

“It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”

This was one description of current political hits scored against the Corrections Minister and his department. Some of the problems exposed have been serious, such as staff smuggling contraband.