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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Australia: Drug cautions are effective, says report
Liverpool Leader Saturday 30 Apr 2011 In the year leading up to September last year, police issued 250 cautions from the 388 people nabbed with the drug, saving on court costs, police and emergency services’ time and resources. The figures come after a report released by the NSW Auditor-General showed it was cheaper to caution addicts than arrest them. The Effectiveness of Cautioning for Minor Cannabis Offences report revealed the state spent more than $700 million a year on arresting and processing cannabis users. Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat said the State Government’s cautioning for minor drug offences scheme had diverted about 39,000 offenders from the courts in 10 years. He said cautioning - if done properly by police - got minor drug users out of jail and into rehabilitation programs, saving taxpayer money. "Cautioning also reduces reoffending - only 5 per cent of adults cautioned for minor cannabis offences appeared in court for a similar offence within two years." The report found about 8 per cent of people in NSW admitted to being regular cannabis smokers, with inner city suburbs issuing the most cautions. But Mr Achterstraat said drug users needed to realise the strain they put on society. CANNABIS CAUTIONING SCHEME * Police can issue a warning under the scheme which provides formal cautioning of adult offenders found with small quantities of cannabis * The scheme allows police to exercise their discretion in appropriate cases and issue a caution * A person cannot be cautioned if they have prior convictions for drugs, violence or sexual assault offences http://liverpool-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/drug-cautions-are-effective-says-report/
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