Seán Ryan
Question:45 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will establish drug courts to process serious drugs-related offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15484/98]
Written Answers. - Drug Courts.
Brendan Daly
Question:48 Mr. Daly asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the work, if any, that has commenced to date in relation to the provision of a drug court system to involve court supervised treatment programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15349/98]
Tony Killeen
Question:70 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress, if any, to date in relation to the proposal that drug addicts charged with non-violent offences will be offered a choice of proceeding to trial or participating in a court supervised strict treatment and rehabilitation regime under a drug court programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15353/98]
I propose take Questions Nos. 45, 48 and 70 together.
When I took office last year I requested the working group on a courts commission to consider the issue of drug courts. It recently submitted its report on the matter to me.
Drug courts have the potential to be an effective part of a pattern of projects and activities to heal the drugs problem and the social evils it creates in society. The philosophy behind the drug courts is one of restorative rather than punitive justice in which the successful completion of the treatment programme replaces punishment. The drug court concept is most advanced in the United States where early statistics are encouraging in terms of recidivism rates and cost effective treatment.
The development of a drug court system, as recommended in the working group report, would assist the Judiciary by putting in place the infrastructure to enable the judge to order treatment and to enable that treatment be carried out. The goal of such courts would be to reduce drug use among defendants; to increase the community functioning of the participants; to reduce recidivism; to reduce social dysfunction; to reduce the overall cost to the State of the individuals involved; and to reduce the cost to the State of the prison service.
The working group has recommended that a planning committee be established with a view to setting up a pilot drug courts project in the District Court.
I am sure the Deputies will agree that these proposals are without question radical and innovative. The report has been given full consideration by my Department and a memorandum for Government is being drafted and will shortly be circulated to relevant Government Departments with a view to bringing my proposals in this regard to Government in the near future.
The drug court system pilot project as proposed would be aimed at the less serious drug-related offences and would not deal with those of a more serious nature. With regard to more serious drugs-related offences these are being dealt with in the Circuit, Central and Special Criminal Courts. The additional judicial resources made available and the introduction of new criminal justice legislation in recent years have provided these courts with greater scope to address these cases. The development of a specific court to deal with such serious offences would have to be examined in this context.
The matter will also have to be considered in the context of the soon to be established courts service which under the Courts Service Act, 1998 has responsibility for management of the courts.